Between Jealousy and Distraction
by frogface-rizzoli
Summary: I had asked her countless times if she was alright, and every time she said she was fine. "I'm just tired, Jane." But what exactly it was that Maura was tired of, I hadn't asked.
1. Chapter 1

**Between Jealousy and Distraction**

Chapter One

_It's a struggle trying to maintain your composure, and sustain your integrity, while falling totally in love. And that is what I have been doing for a while now. Falling in love is easy, but dealing with your feelings is not._

_I don't know if any of you have felt this way before, but if you have you will know and understand what I mean when I say that it is the most awful challenge I have ever had to face. __In this game, I'm supposed to be the strong one, but then when she levels me with her hazel eyes, my weakness is exposed and I know I'm done for._

_I'd been sat at my desk just staring at a photograph of our latest victim for nearly a whole half hour. If I'm honest with you, I wasn't thinking about the case at all.  
__As I stared at the picture of the recently deceased Caucasian male, briefly taking in his stubbled jaw, close cropped brown hair, and small eyes, I was reminded of Ian Faulkner. I subconsciously reached down and gently squeezed my big toe through the leather of my boot._

_When he had first arrived here, Ian had been a major distraction to both Maura and I, but for totally different, totally distressing, reasons._  
_I first realised that something was seriously wrong back then when Ma was the one who told me about Ian. Not Maura, but Ma. That had sent alarm bells off like a four-alarm fire in my mind, because Maura was always one to confide in me. Why had Maura not told me about Ian?  
_  
_The next troubling thought was why was I so bothered that Maura hadn't mentioned Ian to me herself?_  
_And to top it all off nicely, though not helping to make anything easier, I managed to find the answer to all of my own questions; Jealousy.  
I, Jane Rizzoli, was jealous of Ian Faulkner!_

_But, as much distress as he had caused in the past, I now believed that Ian was not the source of my troubles. The source of my new wave of distress was another more recent change in Maura's behaviour. It was subtle, but there was definitely something up. I had asked her countless times if she was alright, and every time she said she was fine._  
_"I'm just tired, Jane."_  
_But what exactly it was that Maura was tired of, I hadn't asked._

* * *

Maura checked her phone with a smile, seeing another text message waiting to be read.

_**'Maura, can't wait to see you. Pick you up about 7?'**_

_**'Great.'**_

"Maura?" Jane entered the office, and Maura hurriedly placed her phone back into her pocket. "Are you busy?" Jane noticed Maura hide her phone away. "I'm not disturbing you, am I?"

"No, Jane. No." Maura smiled. "I'm glad you're here."

Jane came to stand in front of Maura's desk. She ran a hand through her hair, and looked at the doctor with a fond smile. "Got any results for me, Maur?"

"Yes." Maura passed a folder across her desk. "Analysis shows that Robbie Fraser was killed by the impact. There was a high level of alcohol in his system, but no evidence to suggest that the fall was anything other than an accident. No homicide."

"You're sure?"

"99.99852 per cent sure." Maura smiled as she felt her phone vibrate from her pocket.

"Ok, ok, Rain Man!" Jane chuckled, tucking the folder under her arm. "Thanks Maura. That's some weight off my mind." Jane made to leave, but then turned back round. "Maur, do you want to..." The detective found Maura busy reading a message on her phone. "...come out for drinks tonight?"

Maura tapped out a reply to the message, not answering Jane straight away.

"Maura?" Jane took a step back towards the desk. "You okay? Maura?"

"Sorry Jane." Maura put her phone down. "What were you saying?"

"I just wanted to know if you're coming out for drinks tonight?"

Maura bit her lip, and Jane instantly knew she was hiding something.  
"Umm...Where did you want to go, Jane?"

"Just to the Robber." Jane frowned at her friend as the ME glanced at her phone as it vibrated again. "Is something the matter, Maur?"

"No. I – I can't come out for drinks, sorry Jane. I have plans tonight." Maura's eyes vainly scanned the detective's.

"Oh, ok." Jane shrugged, mentally noting that Maura only ever had 'plans' with anyone other than herself if they were ME plans, parent plans, or guy plans.  
"Plans? As in _guy_plans?"

Jane was hurt when Maura smiled in answer to her question, the smile even lighting up the doctor's hazel eyes.

"Yes."

Jane felt as though a screw was turning inside her, pushing all the air out of her chest and threatening to suffocate her.

"Oh." Jane resorted to her failsafe method of covering up what she was feeling. "Well, have a nice night. As long as you're not seeing _Ian_..." Jane flashed a tiny smile and turned to leave, not noticing Maura's cringe as she turned to the door. "You know where I'll be if you change your mind. See ya, Maur."

Maura noticed the slight dullness in Jane's usually sparkling eyes as she spoke, and the hunch in her shoulders as she left the office.

"Jane!" Maura called out quickly, but Jane had already disappeared. Maura sighed and picked up her phone from the desk. She tapped at the touch screen and dialled, pressing the speakerphone button. The ringing of the phone echoed in her office.

"Hi, this is Ian. Sorry I can't answer your call right now. Please leave me a message. Ta."

"Ian, it's Maura..."

Out in the corridor, loath to hearing anymore, Jane sprinted for the elevator. She made it inside just as the doors were closing, and crushed her eyes closed. She had been joking when she had warned Maura about seeing Ian! He couldn't be back in Boston, could he?

Jane leaned her head back against the metal door and took deep breaths, trying desperately to stop herself from punching a hole in the door, or bringing up the lunch she had wolfed down earlier in the day.

* * *

"So do you want to get a drink tonight, Jane?" Frost looked up from his desk as Jane stomped back into the bullpen.

"Not really. I'm a bit tired." Jane threw down the folder onto her desk and sat down with her boots propped up on her desk. "I think I'm just gonna have a quiet one tonight."

"Catching up with the Doc?" Frost asked, looking at Jane, his eyebrows raised and a slight smirk on his lips.

"Maura says she has plans tonight." Jane huffed and pulled her computer keyboard onto her lap.

"Oh, I see how it his." Frost stood up, and made his way over to the coffee machine. "So you're too tired to have a brew at the Robber with me and Korsak, but if Maura wasn't busy you'd totally be up to going out with her..."

"No." Jane said, not looking up from the document she was typing. "I just don't feel like it tonight."

"Ohhkaayyy..." Frost drawled, turning his attention back to pouring his coffee. "But it's Friday... so don't say I didn't offer."

* * *

"I got the beers in." Korsak indicated to three frosty mugs on the table as Frost joined him in their usual booth. "Is Jane not joining us?"

"Nope. She says she didn't feel like a drink." Frost took a grateful sip of the cold brew. "Ahh, thanks. I needed this."

"That's not like Jane..." Korsak thoughtfully ran his finger over the condensation on the slowly perspiring surplus beer mug. "She got a date?"

"Not that I know of. She said she was tired and didn't feel like a drink."

"That's not like Jane at all! What about Dr Isles?" Korsak raised his eyebrows. "Is she not joining us either?"

"No. She's busy."

"With Jane?" Korsak's eyebrows rose even higher. "Coincidence..."

"No. Jane said that she was having a quiet one and that Dr Isles already had plans for tonight."

"Oh..." Korsak reached into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out a quarter. "I guess that means we can toss for Jane's beer."

"Sure." Frost smiled. "I call heads."

"Ok." Korsak flipped the coin and caught it again. "Haha! Tails! Sorry Frost."

"No sweat Korsak. You paid for that beer anyway!" Frost smirked.

"Anyway..." Korsak leaned forward conspiratorially. "So, Frost... if Jane and Maura are not spending the evening together, and Jane seemed too sullen to come out for a drink, do you really _still_think that Jane and Maura have 'a thing' going on?"

He made air quotes, then sipped at his beer, waiting for Frost to reply.

"Firstly, I never said that Jane was 'sullen'." Frost smiled. "Secondly, I'm not sure that they ever started anything. They just seem so..." Frost paused at Korsak's expression, unsure of how to explain. "Come _on_! You've seen how they are together!"

"Yes, I have." The older detective nodded.

"How can they act like that around each other and not have anything going on?"

"I don't know...but I think it's high time we did some detective work. You in, Frost?"

"I'm in!" Frost raised his beer. "And I think we can convince Frankie to help too...maybe even stage an intervention if we need to."

"I'll drink to that." Korsak lifted his beer in agreement. "I can't bear Jane being so down. She deserves to be happy... Dr Isles too!"

Maura left the precinct without seeing Jane again. She knew that the detective was avoiding her. Jane was probably holed up in the basement, up to her eyeballs in evidence or cold cases like she always was when she wanted to hide.

When Maura got home, she fed Bass before heading to the bathroom to get ready for her evening. It was almost 6.30 when there was a knock at the door and Angela entered the house.

"Hello?" Angela called out, standing in the empty room. "Maura? Jane?"

"Hi Angela! Be there in a minute."

Angela sat down on the couch and waited for Maura to emerge. "Oh, Maura! That dress is stunning."

Maura beamed at her best friend's mother. "Thank you, Angela."

"Is Jane not here, then?"

"No." Maura smoothed down some non-existent creases on her dress. "She's having drinks at the Robber..."

"Oh, so you're expecting someone?"

Maura nodded.

"Then I suppose I'll get out of your hair. I just wanted to see if Jane was here. She wasn't picking up her cell phone."

"Really?" Maura looked worried. "That's not like Jane."

"Don't worry, Maura. She probably forgot to put it on to charge." Angela smiled. "You know how distracted she gets..."

"Mmmm..." Maura mused aloud.

"I'll give Vince a call, see if he's seen Jane. Anyway, I'll leave you to it, Maura. Have a nice night." Angela opened the front door. "And don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

Angela smiled at Maura and turned to leave, running headlong into Ian, and almost knocking the posy of flowers out of his hand.

"Ian!"

* * *

Jane threw herself onto the couch as soon as she got home. She closed her eyes and sighed heavily, blindly reaching out for Jo Friday as the scruffy dog leapt onto the couch with her.

"Hi Jo." Jane ruffled the dog's soft head. "How are you doing? Fancy an early dinner and bed?"

The dog looked up at Jane, her head cocked to one side. Jane opened her eyes to look down at her furry confidant.

"You can even share the bed with me tonight..." Jane unclipped her badge and gun from her belt and placed them on the coffee table before standing up and shuffling  
into her small kitchen.

Jane fixed dinner for herself and the dog. She nursed a beer and picked at her food while Jo Friday devoured her dinner in record time. When her cell phone rang, Jane ignored it. She sighed and looked at the clock - 8pm.

"Is it too early to go to bed, Jo?" Jane asked the dog, as she dragged herself into the bedroom.

Jane stripped down to her boxers and tank top and crawled under the creased, white covers. Jo Friday jumped up onto the end of the bed and snuggled down, her beady eyes shining up at Jane in the dim light. "Goodnight, Jo."

* * *

"Ian!" Jane sat up in bed with a start, Jo Friday barking in shock at the sudden awakening.

Jane had growled out Ian's name in distress, her dreams featuring disturbing images ranging all the way from Maura and Ian, to even the in-growing toenail he had treated for Jane.

"Son of a bitch!" Jane rubbed her eyes and glanced at the clock – 10.34pm. Jo barked again. "Quiet Jo! God...I can't believe that guy!"

Jane swung her legs out of bed and noticed the tiny light on her cell phone flashing in the darkness. Jane grabbed the phone. 7 missed calls from her mother, 1 from Korsak, and 3 new texts in her inbox. Jane opened the text from Frost first.

_**'Hey J! Are you sure we can't tempt you to get a beer with us?'**_

Jane rolled her eyes, but was glad that Frost cared enough about her to pester her. The next two text messages were from her mother.  
_**  
'Jane! Answer your phone! Ma x'**_

Jane sighed.  
_**  
'Jane, Maura has gone out with Ian tonight! Did you know about this?!'  
**_  
Jane fought a losing battle for composure, and just as she was about to throw the phone across the room, it buzzed with another incoming message. Maura!  
_**  
'Jane, I'm sorry for not having a drink with you tonight. I'm going to be honest with you. Ian is in town. Don't be mad. Sorry again. See you soon? M x'  
**_  
The fact that Maura had now admitted that Ian was in town was a slap in the face for Jane. It proved that it was all true and real. Maura was on a date with a fugitive, a virtuous criminal, and the man she had called 'the love of her life'.

With a yell, Jane threw her phone as hard as she could across the room. It hit the wall and came apart. This violent action started Jo barking again, and she crawled across the bed to be closer to Jane.

"It should be me." Jane didn't notice the dog until Jo laid her head on her knee. "It should be me...with her." Jane rubbed the dog's head once to stop her from whining. "Sorry Jo."

Jane sat in an angry silence for a while, stroking Jo Friday's head in the darkness of her bedroom. She glanced at the clock – 10.52pm.

"You know, it's not actually that late yet. And if Maura can go out..." Jane stood up from the bed and went over to the bathroom. "And _I_ need a drink!"

Fifteen minutes later, Jane was showered and dressed in a new pair of black jeans and a khaki tank top.

She grabbed her favourite black leather jacket from the closet. Maura had once called it "The pulling jacket," and the thought made Jane smirk in spite of herself as she slipped into the fitted jacket, before sitting down on the bed to pull on a pair of distressed combat boots.

Jane half-heartedly made her bed and Jo Friday watched as Jane stooped down to pick up the cell phone from where it had landed.

Like her heart, Jane's cell phone appeared broken, but somehow it was still working.

Jane put the phone back together and tapped at the screen.

"Hi Ma. Yeah I'm ok... Yeah I knew about Maura...I said I'm okay, didn't I?... I'm not raising my voice! Ma, come on!"

There was a long pause.

"Ok, Ma. Well, I'm going out tonight too...I'm not angry! ...Nope. Why would you think that?... I'm not being rash...Yes, I know. I'll try not to...Yes...For God's sake, Ma! I'll try not to overdo it!"

Jane's tone softened slightly at her mother's concerned tone.

"Ok, Ma. I'll see you tomorrow...Thanks. Bye."

Jane hung up and tapped at her screen again, unable to stop another shameless smirk from creeping onto her face.

"Hi. I need a cab to the Corner Club... Yeah, on Tremont ...as soon as possible."

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading! x**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**  
_  
I am not one to admit it, but ever since I was young, I have __been looking everywhere for my true love.  
Now I'm expected to be strong. I have always pretended that love and romance are not for me... and I have pretended for so long that these lies have become truths: I don't need anyone. But tonight the floodgate had been opened, bringing a load of heart-ache with it. I am jealous!  
I have to deal with it, because that is who I am. I am a Police Homicide Detective. I am strong.  
Distraction and deflection are the best forms of defence, and distraction is just what I need tonight.  
I hope Maura knows what she's getting herself into with Ian...but Maura isn't going to stop me now.  
All I need is a distraction, and hopefully a willing one won't be too difficult to find. But first I'm going to have to get a few drinks inside me._

* * *

Jane was already waiting outside her apartment building, hands in her jacket pockets, when her taxi pulled up. She hopped into the car with a nonchalant smile and reminded the driver of the club's location.

_'Boston Police have today arrested...'_  
Jane zoned out of the talk radio station the cab driver had on, and before she knew it the driver pulled up across the street from the Corner club.

"Here, okay?" The driver asked.

"Here's fine." Jane fished in her pocket and pulled out a handful of crumpled dollars, handing them to the driver with a smile before she hopped out of the taxi onto the sidewalk.

"Hope you have a great night, Ma'am."

Jane grimaced at the formal title.

As she stood on the street, waiting to cross, Jane spotted a dark blue Toyota Prius parked nearby.

Jane's stomach did a flip at the sight of the car, and she strained her eyes in the dim light of the street, trying to read the licence plate. It wasn't Maura's car, and Jane felt strangely relived, despite the wave of jealousy and anger that passed through her again.

Shaking her head, she ran across the road and made her way to the club's entrance.

Jane smirked to herself at the sight of the line, glad to have slipped her badge into her pocket on the way out of her apartment. She held up the badge and pushed her way to the front of the line, and into the crowded club.

The Corner Club was decorated in dark wood, metal and dark shades of maroon, grey and navy blue. The bass of the loud music and the noise of the crowd hit Jane as she made her way to the bar.

Jane squeezed into a space, smiling at the patrons on either side of her. She waited a while for the busy bartender to come over, seriously considering using her badge again.

"Beer, please." Jane smiled, speaking exaggeratedly loud over the music. "And a shot of Jack."

Jane paid for the drinks, and threw back the shot of whiskey. She spotted an empty stool near the corner of the bar and grabbed her beer before making a beeline to it.

Sitting at this corner of the bar, Jane could survey the crowded dance floor. She sipped at her beer, tapping her boot in time with the music.

* * *

In an elite Beacon Hill wine bar, Maura stared across the small table, through the shimmering candlelight. Opposite her, Ian was studying the wine list, both of them in silence.

"Have you chosen your wine yet, Sir?" A waiter appeared at the table.

Ian looked up from the menu and smiled, holding out the wine list to Maura.

"Well, I think I'll let the lady decide." He beamed at Maura who didn't even glance at the wine list before turning to the waiter.

"A bottle of the Montepulciano, please."

"That sounds fancy!" Ian smiled warmly at Maura, and opened the wine list again. "I had better read up on this 'Montypoopenado'. I don't know whether I should taste blackcurrants or oak wood or..."

Maura was struck with a sudden pang as she was reminded of Jane. Jane still hadn't answered her text and Maura was starting to worry. She quickly regained herself and smiled at Ian. "Well, in a Montepulciano you should get notes of pepper and spice."

The waiter returned with their chosen bottle, and from her tiny, first sip of the dark red wine, Maura was transported back to her house, sitting on the couch and laughing with Jane.

Ian sipped his wine. "Wow, that's nice." He smiled. "You were always good at wines, Maur."

Another pang of sadness hit Maura, and she sighed.

"You okay, Maura?"

"I'm fine, Ian. Really." Maura distracted herself from her thoughts, and held up her glass to clink it against Ian's. "To old times?"

"To _new_ times!" Ian smiled.

* * *

Jane had only been sitting enjoying her drink for a few minutes, when a tall, blond man sidled up to the bar next to her.

"Hi." He smiled, leaning his forearms on the bar. "Can I get you a drink?"

"Thanks, but I'm good." Jane indicated her almost full beer.

"Ok..." The guy turned to the barman and ordered eleven shots of tequila. He turned back to Jane with a large grin. "Don't worry; they're not all for me!"

Jane smiled, and nodded, barely holding in an eye-roll. The guy held out his hand to Jane.

"My name's Tony."

"Jane." They shook hands.

"Very nice to meet you." The man pointed out a group of men on the dance floor, gathered around a short man who was wearing a silly party hat. "It's my friend  
Danny's birthday."

Jane laughed at the man's stupid hat, and then her eyes widened in shock. Standing amongst the party, towering above the birthday boy, was a very familiar guy: Giovanni Gilberti.

"Oh no..." Jane whispered at the sight of Giovanni's goofy grin, and turned her head before he had a chance to notice her.

"Are you sure I can't tempt you with a drink, Jane?" Tony held out one of the shots of tequila.

"Alright." Jane took the small glass. "Thanks."

"On three." Tony grinned, counted down the numbers, and together they threw back their shots.

"Arhhh..." Jane sighed. "That was strong. Thanks."

Tony smiled at Jane again, picking up the tray of shots.

"Do you want to dance?"

"No thanks." Jane picked up her beer again. "I don't dance."

"Ok." Tony shrugged and smiled, before heading back to his waiting friends. "Tequila time!"

* * *

"Frankie? It's Frost."

Korsak egged Frost on, silently gesturing to him across the table, now littered with empty beer mugs.

"Hey, _Barold_. What's up?"

"Korsak and I were just wondering if you'd be up to helping us out, _Francesco_."

"Depends what you need help with."

"I don't quite know how to put this..." Frost muttered. "We need your help with... We're working on this case and we need..." Frost looked to Korsak for help, but Korsak just waved his hands.

"Just ask him, Frost!"

"We need your help with a case, Frankie." Frost hurried.

"Ok, cool! Sure! Which case?"

"The case of the chicken-shit detective and oblivious medical examiner!" Korsak said, and burst out laughing.

"What was that, Korsak?" Frankie said down the phone.

"Come on, Korsak!" Frost spoke up now. "Ok, Frankie. We want you to help us work out if there is anything going on between Jane and Maura."

"Oh!"

"Unless you already know?" Frost asked. "I mean you just need to see how they act when they're in the same room..."

"Jane's not said anything." Frankie reasoned. "Despite what you might think, she _does_ confide in _me_...sometimes. And Ma's not had a heart-attack... so if they _are_  
together, they're doing a pretty good job of keeping it quiet."

Frankie considered it all for a long moment. "They do seem really into each other, don't they? ...What the hell! Count me in, guys."

"Great! Operation Oblivious is good to go!"

* * *

Jane ordered another whiskey, and was about to take a large swig, when her attention was pulled away from her drink by the attractive woman who had taken Tony's spot next to her at the bar.

The woman was shorter than Jane, her dark-blonde hair pulled up on her head, a few tendrils hanging down to frame her pretty face. Jane found herself unable to take her eyes off the woman.

She was wearing dark jeans, a black and white silk shirt, black blazer, and a pair of bright red stilettos which would have made Maura proud.  
Jane pushed all thoughts of Maura from her mind, and went back to sipping her drink.

"Hi." The woman said, turning and smiling at Jane.

Jane was so surprised that the whiskey burned her throat, and she started to cough.

"Oh! Are you okay?" The woman patted Jane on the back until the detective stopped coughing.

"Thanks." Jane smiled weakly.

"No problem... I'm sorry I startled you."

"No, you didn't." Jane smiled again, wider this time. The two women now had to yell to be heard over the pounding music in the club.

"Are you here by yourself?" The woman asked, stepping closer to speak to Jane.

"Yep. Just me and Mr Daniels." Jane held up her glass. "You?"

"I'm here with my girlfriend." The woman waved her hand back towards the dance floor. "She's dancing somewhere."

"Girlfriend...right." Jane looked back down and took a sip from her drink.

"Oh, not _that_kind of girlfriend!" The woman smiled. "I'm single, I'm afraid. But my friend Jess wanted to dance and flirt, so she pestered me to come out. It's Friday after all."

The woman turned and pointed to the dance floor. "Look at her! That's Jess there... red hair, dancing with the short guy in the funny hat!"

Jane looked around and squinted over at the darker dance floor. Giovanni was now nowhere to be seen.

"I'm Sara, by the way." Sara reached out and touched Jane's arm.

"Jane."

Despite her leather jacket, Jane could feel a spark where Sara's hand touched her arm, and the vibrations of the deep bass music echoed in her chest. A striking smile crossed Jane's lips, as Sara looked at her.

"Can I get you a drink, Sara?"

"Sure, that would be nice." Sara leaned forward to make sure Jane could hear her.

"A beer, please." She spoke into Jane's ear, leaning back to smile at her.

Jane gestured to the barman, pointing with two fingers, before smiling back at Sara. The barman placed two bottles of beer on the bar and Jane slid a bill across to him. "Keep the change."

"Do you want to dance, Jane?" Sara asked, looking over at her friend on the dance floor.

"Just so you know," Jane dipped her head to the shorter woman. "I don't like dancing. I usually just prop up the bar...but this time I think I'll make an exception, Sara."

* * *

Angela knocked on Maura's back door, noticing that the lights were off. There was no answer, so Angela let herself into the house.

"Maura?" Angela called out. Receiving no reply, Angela decided that no-one was home. She grabbed the remote control and plopped down onto Maura's couch.

"Hello, Bill. Fancy seeing you here." Angela giggled, finding the Bill O'Reilly show she had been dying to watch on Maura's TV. "Look at those eyes!" Angela smiled and settled back into the couch cushions, noticing Bass sidling his way slowly out of the room.

Angela had been pondering Jane's actions that night and her strange phone call from earlier.

Angela had always had the feeling that Jane was hung-up on Maura; a mother can sense these things. Angela watched the way Jane was willing to do anything for Maura, always trying to make her happy.

Angela had noticed that Maura just had to say the words, glance at Jane in that special way, and suddenly her usually stubborn daughter was putty in the Medical Examiner's hands.

The thought made Angela smile, until she remembered that tonight Maura was not out with her daughter, but with Ian; Australian Ian, the criminal. Angela sighed.

Jane was out too, and knowing her daughter, Angela knew that when Jane was jealous, upset and angry, she would often make mistakes and end up regretting her rash actions.  
_**  
'Please don't be reckless, Jane.'**_Angela had sent a text to her daughter, but of course she had had no reply.

Angela watched Bill O'Reilly talking about the upcoming presidential election, her eyes gradually getting heavier and heavier.

"I'll just watch until the end of the show..." Angela spoke out loud to herself. "When Bill's finished, I'll head back to bed."

* * *

Jane held her beer bottle close to her chest, her other arm snaking around Sara's waist as the blonde woman danced close to her. Sara's arms wrapped around Jane's shoulders, her hands caressing the nape of Jane's neck as they danced.

Jane was enjoying herself, feeling light-headed from all the drinks she had drunk, and appreciating the closeness and company of the attractive and attentive Sara.  
Before she knew what she was doing, Jane leaned down and pressed a light kiss to the side of Sara's neck, then her shoulder.

Sara smiled up a Jane, her face alight with genuine attraction to the tall, dark-haired woman. Sara leaned up and pressed a quick kiss to Jane's cheek before pulling away. Jane instantly missed the smaller woman's warmth against her.

"I'm gonna head to the ladies' room." Sara said loudly, over the music.

"Ok. I'll get us some more drinks."

"Back in a moment, Jane." Sara squeezed Jane's hand and left.

Feeling giddy, Jane took a step backwards, bumping into someone's back on the crowded dance floor.

"Sorry." She said, turning around, just as Giovanni Gilberti turned and looked down at her.

"Jane? Whoa! Hey Jane." Giovanni beamed. "You're looking...!"

"Hot?" Jane guessed, forcing a smile at the sight of her childhood annoyance. "Hi, G."

"Not out with the Doc tonight?"

"Oh!" Jane thought fast, annoyed at having to talk about the one person she was trying not to think about. "Oh, G, Maura and I aren't together anymore."

"Oh really? That's good to know!" Giovanni smiled toothily. "I mean, I'm sorry... You here by yourself?"

"I was." Jane said with a smile, looking over to see Sara returning from the bathroom. "Not anymore."

Giovanni followed Jane's gaze and spotted the woman making her way through the crowd towards them, a smile on her pretty face.

"Wow, _she's_ hot! _Ohhhhh_!" Giovanni grinned and pointed at Jane, gesturing to the other woman. "So you're still batting left-handed, Jane?"

Jane rolled her eyes, and shrugged pointedly at Giovanni. "Apparently so. That's Sara."

"Oh, well... then I guess I'll leave you guys alone." Giovanni leaned forward and quickly pecked Jane's cheek. "See you around, Jane!"

"G!" Jane yelled after him, wiping her cheek. "Just so you know, Maura's already taken!"

"No surprise!" Giovanni called back as he rejoined his group of friends. "She's _so _hot!"

* * *

Happy, warm, and full of wine, Maura and Ian headed back through Beacon Hill towards Maura's house.

Ian held out his arm and Maura accepted, looping her arm through his.

"Tonight was nice." Maura said. "Thank you Ian."

"My pleasure, Maura. I'm so glad to be back in Boston."

"Are you staying?" Maura asked.

"Maybe." Ian smiled. "I've got a meeting with my new boss on Monday."

"New boss?"

"Yeah. You know that multinational medical corporation I've been working with in Kenya? Well, they invited me over here for a meeting." Ian paused and turned to Maura. "They want to promote me, Maura."

"That's fantastic, Ian!" Maura smiled. "I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks... And they might also be able to pull a few strings, internationally."

Maura looked puzzled.

"Maura, I might finally be able to move to the U.S. For good."

"Oh!" Maura was shocked. She had never thought that Ian would ever be able to stay in the USA after the medical supplies he had illegally transported. And she had helped him with his crime... Jane's disappointed face flashed before her eyes, and Maura sighed.

"Maura," Ian took her hand. "We might actually get a proper chance together. Isn't that fantastic?"

Maura nodded and let Ian lead the way down the street. They walked in silence for a few minutes until Ian snapped his fingers.

"Oh, I forgot to ask you. Did Jane's toe heal okay? How is she?"

Maura nodded. "Yes. She's perfect. Perfect...I-I mean her toe." Maura fumbled. "Her _toe's_ perfect. _You_did a perfect job."

"Good to hear." Ian smiled and stopped at the front door, waiting for Maura to unlock it.

"Err..." Maura turned to Ian, and was suddenly flustered. "W-Would you like to come in for a coffee? Or some more wine?"

"I thought you'd never ask!" Ian leaned down and pressed a kiss to Maura's lips.

Maura began to automatically respond to the kiss, her hands coming up to Ian's neck, but she soon pulled away, pushing back from his chest, and shaking her head.

"Ian, I can't..."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank you for all your reviews, favourites and follows! It means the world to me. I hope you keep reading! And please bear with Jane and Maura, they can be so silly...but they'll sort it all out sooner or later! xo  
**

Chapter Three

_I'll admit that despite my best efforts to distract myself tonight, I'm still jealous... I am jealous of every second Maura has spent with Ian; envious of every anxious, caring look she has ever directed his way. I am jealous of every tear she has ever shed for him, and of every single glance, touch, and thought they have ever shared. I envy all the years they have known each other, and all the time they have spent alone together.  
I am so jealous of all the times they have hugged, kissed, made love – Oh how I want to rip him to shreds for all the times he has hurt Maura, and for all this hurt he is causing me too!  
I want to wipe him off the face of the earth, and purge him entirely from Maura's mind and heart. But I know that I can't; she's with him tonight, not with me.__That is her choice__.  
__I know that I'm not usually the type to rush into things as far as relationships are concerned, but tonight everything feels different; __**I**__ feel different. I need to forget all about this jealousy, even if just for tonight.__So as far as I'm concerned, tonight they both mean nothing to me. For now I want to forget all about Ian and Maura..._

* * *

After finishing another round of drinks, Jane and Sara headed back onto the dance floor.

From across the room, Jane could see Tony and the birthday party guys watching them. They were laughing and pointing at the pair of them, with Giovanni waving and winking at Jane. Jane turned back to Sara with a shake of her head.

"Having fun, Jane?" Sara asked, taking Jane's hand and pulling her closer.

"Yeah." Jane held Sara's hand and twirled her under her arm, both of them laughing.

Tony slurped down the last of his latest beer.

"I want to dance with the blonde." Tony said, gazing at Jane and Sara.

"I thought you wanted to dance with Jane?" Giovanni smirked at his drunk friend.

"I did. She wasn't up for it, but the blonde..."

"Sara?" Giovanni looked from his friend to Jane and Sara and back again. "Don't even think about it, T!" Giovanni grabbed Tony's arm. "Don't do it, man! Look at them! They're dancing together, and they're into each other."

Giovanni tried to stress his words to Tony, but the guy just wasn't getting it. "Hey, I know Jane. She's hot and all, but you _don't_want to cross her! Not like this."

"What's she gonna do? It's up to her friend who she dances with."

"Tony, you're tanked!"

Tony pulled away from Giovanni and strode through the crowd. He approached Jane and Sara, who were still dancing and laughing together.

"Hey girls."

Jane smiled, trying to remember his name. "Hey...Tony."

"Jane." Tony slurred, and turned to Sara. "Hi. So, would you like to dance?"

"Oh. Tony? Thank you, but I'm good right now."

Jane noticed Giovanni watching them closely now.

"Really?" Tony asked, stepping closer to Sara. "You'd rather dance with her than me?"

"For now." Sara spoke considerately. "Maybe later, Tony."

"Come on!" Tony grabbed Sara's arm. "Sara, right? Dance with me."

"The lady said no." Closing the distance quickly, Jane drew herself up to her full height and confronted Tony. "We don't want any trouble, Tony."

"Who said anything about trouble?" Tony was getting angry now, his short temper made worse by the amount of alcohol he had consumed over the course of the evening.

"Tony, she said no. Just leave it. Please." Jane was suddenly in detective mode, her voice sober and calm.

Giovanni had now made his way over to them.

"Tony, dude! C'mon, let's leave these ladies alone." Giovanni touched his friend's shoulder.

"Don't touch me, G! All I wanna do is dance with this one..."

"Sorry, girls." Giovanni apologised and tried to push his inebriated friend towards the exit. "We'll leave you to it."

"No way!" Tony whirled around and now aimed a drunken lunge at Jane. Sara shrieked as the tall detective quickly ducked the blow. Giovanni grabbed Tony's arm again, but underestimated the drunk man's strength. Tony pulled away and threw a punch at Giovanni, but the mechanic was quick to intercept the blow, grabbing Tony's fist.

"Tony! You're drunk! Stop it, man!" Tony managed to land a half-hearted blow to Giovanni's jaw and Jane leapt into action. She pulled Tony's hand behind his back.

"Tony, stop! Don't make me arrest you!" She pulled her badge from her pocket and held it in front of the man's face. "You see this?"

Tony nodded and gave up struggling, just as two of the club's bouncers made their way over.

Jane flashed her badge at them. "He's all yours."

They took Tony's arms and led him off the dance floor.

"You alright?" Jane asked Sara gently.

"Yeah." Sara breathed. "Thanks."

Jane smiled and turned back to Giovanni.

"You okay, G?"

"Yeah." He rubbed at his jaw. "Didn't hurt..."

"Thanks, G."

"Jane, Sara, I'm sorry about all that. He gets stupid when he's tanked."

Jane nodded. "When the bouncer's are done with him, can you make sure he gets home alright?"

"Sure." Giovanni smiled weakly. "Sorry if we ruined your night."

"You didn't." Sara spoke up. "Don't worry."

"Ok... Good seeing you, Janie. Don't be a stranger."

"You...You too, G." Jane said genuinely and squeezed Giovanni's shoulder.

"Nice to meet you, Sara. Have a good night." Giovanni slinked back into the crowd who had soon resumed dancing after the commotion in their midst.

"I'm sorry about that." Jane turned back to Sara, to find the blonde smiling up at her. "What?"

"My knight in shining armour!" Sara smiled brightly. "Nice badge, Jane!

Jane laughed and turned the gold badge over in her hand, before putting it back in her jacket pocket.

Sara leaned in closer to Jane. "Do you have the handcuffs to go with it?"

Jane was initially shocked, but then she smirked. "They're back at my place..."

Jane was now running on alcohol and adrenaline, her detective-mode fading again.

"Oh." Sara ran her hand up Jane's arm, squeezing her bicep. She then pointed to her friend, dancing closely with a man nearby. "Let me just tell Jess that I'm  
leaving. She seems too busy to care anyway!"

* * *

Angela heard Maura unlocking the door as she returned to the house. She was mortified to have fallen asleep on the doctor's couch and reached quickly to the remote and switched the TV off.

It was too late to leave now, the door was already opening and Angela could hear Maura's voice. Her heart sank slightly as she heard the deep Australian tones signalling that Ian had accompanied Maura home.

"Ian, I can't..."

Angela shut her eyes and stayed quiet on couch, pretending to be asleep.

"I'm sorry, Ian." Angela heard the door close and Maura's heels click on the floor as she led the way into the kitchen. "It's too soon. Until tonight I hadn't seen you in so long..."

"Ok." Ian's tone was definitely pissed off, a real change from his usually jovial voice.

"Don't be angry." Angela heard the fridge open and the clink of a glass bottle as Maura handed a beer to Ian. "I just...I just don't want us to rush into things."

Maura's voice was hesitant.

Silence fell over the room until Angela heard the sound of two beer bottles popping open. Dr Isles was drinking beer!

Maura took a large gulp of her beer and broke the silence. "Ian, what are you really doing here?"

"I'm here to see you. I told you that." Ian set down his untouched beer on the counter and took a step closer, but Maura did not yield.

"No, you told me you were here for a meeting, and that you had _time_to see me..."

"Well, yeah."

"So I'm just a distraction." Maura took another drink from her bottle before folding her arms across her chest.

"Maura," Ian held his arms out to her. "You know that you are more than that. I'm here with you, aren't I? Didn't you miss me?"

Angela held her breath as Maura sighed.

"Yes. You know I did."

"Come on, Maura." Ian pulled Maura's arms out of their fold, relieved her of her beer bottle, and took her hands in his, leaning in for a kiss.

Maura backed away.

"Ian..."

"What's wrong Maura?" Ian's face flashed with anger, but then he calmed. "Please tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing. I told you I don't want to rush."

"Why not? What's changed, Maura?" Ian stepped closer to Maura again. "I thought I was the love of your life?"

"I did too..." Maura nervously ran a hand over her hair.

Angela quietly put her hand over her mouth, afraid she would gasp and give herself away.

"What does _that_ mean?" Ian whispered. "You _did_?"

"How can I keep on loving you when you're not around? Not being able to be with you has made me think about things."

"Maura?"

Maura couldn't lie.

"Ian, I... I don't feel the way I used to about you."

Ian rocked back on his heels, staring at Maura as she grabbed her beer and drank as much as she could, as quick as she could.

"Explain, please." His voice was low, commanding, and yet, somehow, pleading and heart-broken. Maura felt upset. She had never heard that tone in Ian's voice before.

"Ian, I don't feel _that_ way about you anymore. I _can't_."

"Why not?"

Maura glared at Ian. "Because I feel that way about someone else! Someone who doesn't always up and leave me!"

Silence fell in the room again, and Angela could now feel the tension between the two doctors in the kitchen.

Ian began to nod slowly.

"I see." It was his turn to glare at Maura now. "Is it Jane? Is that what's wrong with you?"

Maura did not speak, but her silence was answer enough for both Ian and Angela.

"It _is_Jane." Ian confirmed his own suspicions. "I should have guessed sooner."

Maura nodded slowly, looking down at the floor.

"Well, if that's the way it has to be..." Ian took a step towards Maura again. "At least kiss me goodbye."

Maura looked up as Ian closed the distance between them and pressed his lips to Maura's. Despite the hard look in his eyes, Ian kissed her lovingly.

"Ian," Maura pulled away. "I'm sorry."

"Maura..."

"Ian, please go. This is too much for me."

"Ok." Ian sighed. "I love you, Maura." He grabbed his beer from the counter, turned on his heel and headed towards the front door.

"I hope you're happy, Maura." Ian's face softened as he realised how harsh that had sounded. He looked back at Maura. "I mean, I hope you can _be_ happy, Maur. I care about you so much. You always were the love of _my_life, you know."

"Ian..." Maura breathed.

"I'm sorry I always had to leave you. But I'm leaving now so I don't stand in your way anymore. Bye, Maura." Ian turned and shut the door behind him without  
another word.

Tears began to well in Maura's eyes. She hurried straight to her bedroom, throwing herself down onto the comforter.

Angela's eyes flicked open, her face etched with shock. In the morning she really had to speak to Jane.

* * *

"So, tell me about your badge, Jane?" Sara asked, holding Jane's hand in the taxi. "You're a cop?"

"I'm a Detective." Jane explained. "I work in Homicide."

"That is awesome..." Sara leaned in closer and placed a kiss to Jane's cheek. "_You're_awesome."

"You're not too bad yourself, Sara." Jane smiled and squeezed Sara's hand. "What do you do?"

"I play the clarinet... for the Boston Symphony." Sara spoke modestly and Jane smiled widely.

"And the Boston Pops too?"

Sara nodded.

"Now that _is_awesome! How long have you played?"

"Since I was six...and five years with the Pops."

"Wow! I'll have to come see your next concert..."

Sara looked down at their joined hands, noticing Jane's scars. She ran her thumb over the scar on Jane's hand, and Jane flinched.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Sara looked shocked. "Did I hurt you?"

"S'okay." Jane reassured Sara with a small smile. "They don't hurt."

"Can I ask how you got them?" Sara gently ran a fingertip over the scar again.

"I got them working on a murder case. It's a long story." Jane said. "One I don't feel like telling tonight."

Sara nodded, and said no more about the scars. The cab pulled up outside Jane's apartment building, and Jane climbed out, holding the door open for Sara.

"Thanks." Sara followed Jane into the building and up to her apartment.

Jane's hands were sweating as she fumbled with her keys, eventually getting the door open.

"Err... Welcome to my place." Jane turned to find Sara watching her closely. "What's up?"

"I - I really like you, Jane." Sara looked up at Jane. "You're one of the most interesting people I think I've ever met."

"Thanks, I guess." Jane was startled at Sara's honesty. "But I'm quite a bore, really. Wait until you get to know me."

"I look forward to it." Sara reached up and pulled on Jane's collar, bringing the detective's lips down to her own.

Holding the door open, Jane ushered Sara into the apartment and then closed the front door.

"So it's okay if I stay here tonight?" Sara asked, looking at her watch.

"It's more than okay!" Jane pulled the smaller woman close to her and kissed her again. "I'd be offended if you _didn't_want to stay."

* * *

When his shift had finished, Frankie was thankful to finally get to the Dirty Robber.

It was nearly closing time, so Frankie hurried to order his usual beer before throwing himself down into the booth with Korsak and Frost.

"Hey guys."

"Frankie!" Both Korsak and Frost grinned at Jane's little brother.

"So, spill it. What's the plan?" Frankie asked seriously. "How do we go about finding out about Jane and Maura?"

"No idea." Korsak shrugged. "We were hoping you'd know where to start."

Frankie nodded and thought for a while, sipping his beer.

"How about I ask Ma?"

"I thought you said she'd have a heart attack if she new Jane and the Doc were dating?" Frost frowned.

"No, I mean I'll just ask her if she knows if Jane's seeing _anyone_... and Maura too." Frankie smiled. "I'll ask her real casually... just making conversation. I won't  
specifically mention the idea of Jane dating another woman!"

"Ok. That sounds like a good place to start."

They agreed that Frankie would wheedle Angela for an answer the next day, and report back with his findings.

"The codename for this is Operation Oblivious." Frost reminded the others.

"I've also got another idea that might be fun..." Korsak smiled. Frost and Frankie looked intrigued. "How about a little wager on Jane and Maura?"

Korsak pulled his notepad and pen from his inside pocket, scribbling '_Operation Oblivious'_at the top of the page.

"20 bucks says that they've already kissed!" Frost said, laughing and smiling widely, clearly enjoying the idea.

"No way!" Frankie shook his head. "You forget that I _know_Jane. I know how shy she is when it comes to stuff like this... 20 bucks says she's just too scared to make the first move!"

* * *

Jane and Sara kissed heatedly, the attraction which had been bubbling under the surface for most of the night finally spilling out into the open.

Sara pushed Jane's jacket off of her shoulders, and Jane let it fall to the floor. She roughly pulled off Sara's blazer, dropped it onto the couch, and tugged at Sara's silk blouse.

Jane was a little too rough, her actions sending several of the blouse buttons falling to the floor.

"Shit!" Jane pulled away from Sara and scrambled around to pick up the buttons. "God, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that!"

"It's okay..." Sara pulled off the blouse and held it in her hand.

Jane stood up from the floor, buttons in hand, and gazed at the beautiful woman standing shirtless in the centre of her living room.

"Wow." Jane breathed, taking a step closer to Sara again and reaching up to caress the blonde's cheek. "I'm sorry about your shirt, Sara."

Sara snorted, smiling, throwing the shirt away and pulling Jane in for another heated kiss.

"Don't worry, Jane. I can fix it." Sara wrapped her arms around Jane, her clarinettist fingers rhythmically trailing up and down the detective's back. "I'm pretty good with my hands."

Jane smirked and gladly accepted Sara's attentions, the buttons falling from Jane's hand and onto the floor again with a clatter.

"Bedroom?" Jane growled between kisses, leading Sara further into the apartment. She felt the blonde woman nod her head in agreement. "Shall I get us some more  
drinks?"

Sara nodded again. "Have you got any wine?" A tender smile grew on Sara's face as Jane pulled away. "It's a bit more romantic than beer!"

Jane went to the kitchen as Sara pushed through the bedroom door with a small wave. "Don't be long, Jane. I'll be waiting!"

"Wow, I'm not really going to need much more to drink..." Jane muttered, her head already spinning at how fast everything was happening with Sara.

She was always headstrong, but it wasn't like Jane to rush into this kind of thing...

Jane opened a cabinet, finding a bottle of Maura's favourite Pinot Noir, and smirking.

"Thanks for the wine, Maur."

Jane turned to grab a corkscrew from the drawer, but before she had grabbed the gadget she spotted the photograph stuck to the refrigerator.

Jane left the bottle on the counter and pulled the photo out from under the Red Sox magnet.

A photograph of herself and Maura, taken at the Racing School day that Maura had bought as a birthday present for Jane.

The pair of them smiled up at Jane as she stared down at the photo in her hand.

Despite herself, the memory of that day flooded Jane's mind; the smell of the fuel and burnt rubber of the car tires, the feel of her tight-fitting racing suit and the fully lined, fire-resistant Dupont Nomex racing shoes Maura had bought for her.

But what struck Jane most of all was the memory of the feeling of Maura's arms around her as they posed for the photo, both of them carefree and grinning like fools.

Jane turned back to the counter, now remembering the night Maura had sat here at the counter and spoken the words Jane had longed to hear.  
_"I like Tommy. A lot. But I love you."  
_  
Jane's throat was suddenly dry and she shook the thoughts from her head, walking back into the lounge area and dropping the photo unceremoniously into the wastepaper basket.

She went back to the kitchen, opened the wine, and grabbed two glasses from the cupboard. Jane then made her way from the kitchen towards her bedroom, a large glass of wine in each hand.

She glanced towards the front door as she passed, and her eyes fell on the two pairs of running shoes sitting neatly by the door, one pair at least a size larger than the other. Maura had always had a habit of leaving her things in Jane's apartment.

"Oh." Jane paused, looking at the shoes. Pangs of sadness, guilt, anger, and domesticity all passed through her in seconds.

In a sudden rush she went back to the lounge, setting the wine glasses on the coffee table before dashing to the wastepaper basket and pulling out the photo.

Jane sat down heavily on the couch, her eyes never leaving the picture as she smoothed out the wrinkles and creases which her hasty actions had caused to her favourite photo.

"Maura..." Jane whispered, her thumb ghosting across the ME's image. "What am I gonna do?"

Jane sighed deeply, letting her head fall back against the couch cushions as the rush of the day's emotions, and the amount of alcohol in her system, finally got the better of her.

* * *

Once her tears had stopped flowing, Maura lay awake and stared at her cell phone, willing it to buzz with an incoming message from Jane, or from Ian; nothing.

Feeling angry now, Maura tapped out another message to Jane.  
_**  
'If you don't want to answer me, then don't. Thanks for making me worry!**_'

Maura regretted sending the message to Jane as soon as it had left her phone.

Tomorrow, she would need to do some serious damage control regarding two of the most important people in her life. Maura knew that right now they were both upset with her, and she felt that if she didn't do something soon, she would lose both of them.

Maura rummaged through her chest of drawers, looking for Jane's old BPD shirt that she knew was somewhere in there. She pulled the grey threadbare shirt on, inhaling Jane's lingering scent. The familiarity of the smell and feel of Jane's shirt helped to calm Maura, and she settled down under the covers.

With still no word from Jane, Maura sent a message to Ian.  
_**  
'I'm so sorry.'  
**_  
She then turned out the light, rolled onto her side, and hoped to God for a dreamless sleep.

* * *

"Jane? Where have you got to?" Sara emerged from the bedroom, wrapped only in Jane's robe which she had grabbed from the back of the bedroom door.

"Did you have second thoughts?"

Sara made her way into the lounge area, and spotted Jane's form, flopped on the couch, now fast asleep.

"Oh!"

Sara didn't have the heart to wake Jane. She carefully removed the photo from Jane's hand, and pulled the blanket from the back of the couch, draping it over the sleeping detective.

Sara stepped back and studied the photo of Jane and a blonde woman. Sadness for the detective washed over Sara. This brave, beautiful woman was obviously not as happy as she deserved to be.

Whoever the blonde woman was, Sara could tell that Jane cared about her deeply, and that thought made Sara envy the woman in the picture.

She gently placed the photo on the coffee table, and picked up one of the glasses of wine. Sara then turned back to the couch and leaned down to press a kiss to the Jane's cheek.

"Sleep well, Jane. You know where I'll be if you want me."

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hi everyone!  
I am SO sorry for the wait for this chapter! Thanks again for the reviews! I'm glad that most of you seem to like Sara, because then it's ok for Jane to like her too!  
I don't know if I will be able to finish another chapter before Christmas, because I've been promoted at work, and we get so busy at this time of year! Anyway, I hope you enjoy this busy chapter, and if I don't get a chance to update before then, "MERRY CHRISTMAS!" xo**

Chapter Four

_Where the hell am I sleeping? This is not comfortable in the slightest. Wasn't I supposed to be distracting myself with the feel a soft, warm body beside me? Instead I'm asleep on my couch, alone, and still jealous.  
I wonder if Maura had ever felt like this when she saw me with Casey, or Dean, or even Joey Grant?  
Did she ever feel the pang of jealousy, or the sting of disappointment, that I now know so well?  
Even in sleep I can't avoid the thought of Maura, and my mind is plagued with strange, slightly intoxicated dreams... Maura and Sara are playing the clarinet together in the orchestra, and Ian, Giovanni and I are sitting together in the audience. Giovanni is saying that Maura and Sara are looking hot. Both Giovanni and Ian are dressed in proper tuxedos, and there I am dressed in my racing school outfit...  
In another even more disturbing dream, Ian is doing another procedure with Maura's carbon steel pruning shears, but this one is not on my toe. This time he is cutting all the buttons off my array of button-down shirts, and Maura is helping him! These dreams are fast becoming nightmares, and I can't wait to wake up!_

* * *

Jane blinked in the dim light, opening her eyes as motion around her ankles woke her up. She sat up and stretched, her back stiff from the hard couch. At her feet, Jo Friday stood, her tail wagging expectantly.

"Oh...morning Jo." Jane leaned forward and ruffled the dog's fur. "Where did you get to last night?"

The dog stared at Jane, and titled her head to the side, as if asking her owner the exact same question.

Jane's head was now pounding from the combination of emotion, alcohol, and pounding music of the club last night.

"Urghh..." Jane groaned, putting a hand to her temple as she stood up from the couch. "Remind me _never_to drink again, Jo!"

Then the reason for all of last night's alcohol hit Jane as she noticed the photo and full wine glass on the coffee table.

"Sara!"

Jane noticed that Sara's jacket still lay where it had been discarded last night, so Jane hung it on the back of a chair before tiptoeing over to her bedroom door. The door was open a crack, so Jane peered slowly inside before pushing the door fully open.

In her bed lay Sara, wearing nothing but Jane's robe and a happy smile.

"Morning, sleepy head." Sara sat up against the headboard and patted the bed beside her. "Want to join me?"

"Sorry, Sara." Jane took a step forward. "I'm sorry I fell asleep like that... too much booze."

"Don't worry, Jane." Sara quickly came over to her, Jane catching a glimpse of the woman's fine legs as she swung them off the bed. "You looked like you needed a good night's sleep."

"Mmm." Jane rolled her shoulders. "Thanks."

With the tinkling of her dog tag and collar signalling her arrival, Jo Friday pushed past Jane and wandered over to Sara who crouched down and patted the dog affectionately.

"It's really okay, Jane. Besides, I had this cutie-pie to keep me company!" Sara smiled, her voice becoming comical baby talk "Good morning Jo! How are you doing my little doggie?"

Jane couldn't help but smile and leaned down to pet Jo's head, before helping Sara to her feet.

"Do you want some coffee?" Jane led the way back out to the kitchen.

Sara grabbed the photo from the coffee table and came to sit down at the kitchen counter while Jane busied herself making the coffee.

"Milk? Sugar?" Jane asked, placing the carton and sugar bowl on the counter.

"Both." Sara smiled, gathering up her courage. "Jane, who is this?" Sara asked, sliding the photo across the counter.

Jane looked at the picture and thought for a moment before answering.

"It's complicated."

"An ex?"

"I guess you could say that."

"You obviously still care about her, Jane."

Jane handed Sara a cup of coffee. "Yes, but I care about you too, Sara."

"Jane..." Sara's voice was soft, and she sipped her coffee with a big smile. "Thanks."

Jane smiled, before stooping down to fill Jo Friday's food bowl. The little dog happily trotted over into the kitchen, her claws clacking on the wooden floor. The sound  
reminded Jane of Maura's stilettos when she hurried along the BPD corridors. Jane hastily stood back up and turned her attention back to Sara.

"So, any plans for today?"

"I have an important rehearsal at noon. We're starting work on our Christmas concert repertoire. How about you?"

Jane smiled ruefully as she grabbed a bottle of aspirin from the drawer. "I'm gonna concentrate on getting over this hangover."

"I know a good remedy..." Sara stood up and came to stand in front of Jane, reaching up to capture the detective's lips. "Kissing releases endorphins and they can help get rid of headaches."

Jane kissed Sara back, but was shocked to find herself now imagining the feel of Maura's lips on her own, and Maura's hands threading through her raven hair. Jane pulled away from Sara.

"Err...Do you wanna take a shower?"

Sara raised her eyebrows.

"No! That's not what I meant!" Jane shook her head. "I meant that you probably want to freshen up before you have to go to your rehears..."

Sara cut Jane off with a quick kiss. "Thanks Jane. I'd love a shower."

"I'll get you a towel."

Sara finished her coffee then started to pick up all the shirt buttons from the floor. She picked up her now button-less shirt and draped it over the back of the couch.  
Jane came back into the room.

"I've left you some towels in the bathroom, and a fresh toothbrush too."

"Thank you." Sara fiddled with the collar of the robe she was still wearing. "Can I be really annoying and ask to borrow your sewing kit?" She gestured to the shirt on  
the back of the couch.

"Oh." Jane cringed. "I - I don't think I have a sewing kit. But, please, just grab a shirt from my closet."

Sara beamed and leaned up to peck Jane on the lips again before disappearing into Jane's bedroom.

Jane tidied up the kitchen and poured away her untouched glass of wine from last night. She then sat down on the couch, Jo Friday jumping up to sit beside her. Jane stroked her dog and thought about all that had happened.

"You seem to like Sara..." Jane spoke quietly to the dog. "I do too. All I wanted was a distraction from you-know-who, but now I think I'm really starting to..." Jane sighed. "I didn't expect to really, really like the distraction! You know what I mean, Jo?"

Jane's bedroom door opened and Sara stepped out, dressed in the same clothes as last night, except now she was wearing Jane's 'Scare Yourself Every Day' tank-top, and it fit her better than it did Jane.

"All done." Sara sat down on the other side of Jo Friday, and smiled at Jane. "How's your headache?"

"Wow..." Jane bit her tongue. "I mean, I'll live." Jane shifted closer to Sara, sending Jo jumping to the floor. "My shirt looks so good on you!"

* * *

Angela knocked on Jane's front door. She waited a few moments before knocking again; no answer. Angela pulled her keys from her purse and let herself into Jane's apartment. Jo Friday was instantly fussing around Angela's ankles.

"Hello, Jo-Jo! Janie, are you here? Why weren't you answering your..."

Angela looked over to see Jane on the couch, locked in a passionate kiss, pinning a smaller blond woman underneath her. "Oh!"

"MA?!" Jane sprang away from Sara as though she was made of molten metal. "Crap! How many times?! Knock!"

"I did! Twice!" Angela took a step forward. "Jane... I need to talk to you."

Jane's face was now beet-red, and a blush was starting to creep up Sara's neck too as she sat up, embarrassed.

"Couldn't it wait, Ma?"

"No. It's important." Jane could tell by her mother's tone that what she wanted was indeed urgent.

"Ok...Give us a minute, will you, Ma?"

"Ok, I'll take Jo-Jo outside for a bit." Angela grabbed the dog's leash from the hook and led the dog from the apartment.

"I'm so sorry, Sara!" Jane was mortified, and Sara had to laugh at Jane's priceless face.

"It's ok, Jane." Sara stood up and grabbed her jacket. "I have to get going anyway." Sara fished in her jacket pocket and handed Jane a business card embossed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra logo. "Here, Jane."

"Thanks." Jane grabbed a pen and wrote down her number for Sara on a scrap of paper. "I'll call you."

"Not if I call you first!" Sara smiled widely. "Thanks for a great night, Jane."

Sara leaned up on tiptoes and kissed Jane. Jane kissed her back and hugged her firmly, grateful for this lovely woman's care and company. "Thanks Sara. I'll see you soon."

Sara slipped on her shoes, and grabbed her purse.

"Bye." With one last smile at Jane, Sara left.

Jane watched the door close, sighed heavily, and fell back down on the couch. She rubbed her eyes hard and manically ran her hands through her errant hair. She needed a shower, but just as she was about to head to the bathroom, Angela returned.

Jo Friday looked disappointed at the short walk, but she nuzzled Jane's leg before heading over to her basket in the corner. Angela looked at her daughter slumped on the couch.

"Jane..."

"Please Ma!" Jane stood up quickly and turned away from her mother. "I really don't need you judging me right now... I'm sick of everyone thinking they know me, and lecturing me on how to live my own li..."

"Jane Clementine Rizzoli!" Angela was angry now. "I am your mother! Look at me." Jane still faced the kitchen, her shoulders slumped. "NOW!"

Jane flinched at her mother's shout, and she felt like a naughty 6 year old again as she slowly turned sheepishly to face the Rizzoli matriarch.

"Thank you! Jane, I came here to tell you something important. And you weren't answering your phone..."

"Sorry." Jane mumbled, searching the room for where she had left her phone. She snatched up her leather jacket, finding the phone in the pocket.

"Jane, Maura has told Ian where to get off."

"What?" Jane's eyes widened.

"She told him to leave last night."

"She's finished with him? Really?" Jane's voice was hopeful for a fleeting second.

"Yeah. He came back to the house with her last night and she told him she couldn't see him anymore because she didn't feel the same way she used to." Angela paused, watching Jane wringing her hands together and smoothing the scars with her thumbs. "Did you know she was going out with Ian?"

Jane nodded gravely. "Yeah... that's why I went on such a... a bender."

"Jane..."

"Did she say why?"

"Why she's broken up with him? Yeah. She said that she doesn't feel the way she used to about him, because now she feels that way about someone else..."

Angela noticed the flash of hope in Jane's eyes, but it was gone as soon as it had appeared. Neither of them spoke or a long moment, and Jane sat back down on the couch, head in her hands. Angela joined her, tentatively placing a hand on her daughter's knee.

"Maura told Ian that she doesn't feel how she used to about him, because now she feels that way about someone else... someone who doesn't leave her all the time."

Another long pause passed between them.

"It's you Jane."

Jane's head snapped up, her eyes blazing. "Me?"

"Yeah."

"Oh God!" Jane yelped, tears now threatening her already weak eyes.

"Janie? What's wrong?"

"She wants someone who doesn't always run off and leave her..."

"Jane, Maura's in love with you! Isn't that what you want?" Angela squeezed and rubbed Jane's knee.

"Yes." Jane sighed.

"Then what's wrong?"

"Sara...It's all such a mess!"

"Sara? The girl who was here when I -"

"Yes. I met her last night. She's really great...and now she's going to be so pissed!"

Jane unlocked her phone and noticed the barrage of messages, texts and missed calls from last night. She opened the texts and grimaced at seeing that the most recent was from Maura, along with many others that Jane had ignored last night. Jane opened the latest message from Maura.

_**'If you don't want to answer me, then don't. But this is the last text I'm sending tonight. Thanks for making me worry!**_'

Angry with herself for not even thinking to text Maura back to alleviate her worry, Jane guiltily put her phone down on the table and looked back to her mother.

"And Maura is going to be so pissed at me too! God, why am I so stupid when it comes to this?"

Angela did not reply, instead letting Jane finish her rant.

"And now I have no idea how to deal with the person I care about most in the world... and to top it off I have Sara to add to the mix."

"Why don't you just tell her you can't see her?" Angela asked.

"It's not that simple, Ma." Jane sighed again, standing up. "I actually really like her!"

"But Jane..." Angela was about to enter her Italian-Catholic mother lecture-mode, and Jane was not going to let that happen.

"I didn't expect to like her this much! All I wanted was a distraction from Maura and all the anger and jealousy she had been causing me by seeing Ian... But Sara's great!"

Jane noticed that in all the commotion, Sara had forgotten her shirt which was still lying over the back of the couch. Jane ran her hand over the luxurious material, and the image of Maura wearing a very similar garment flashed through her mind.

Angela stood up and came to stand in front of Jane. She stared up into her tall daughter's eyes for several moments, trying to read Jane's true desires and conflicts.

"If Sara's as great as you say she is, she'll understand. You can't help who you love, Janie."

"Who said anything about _love_?" Jane was immediately defensive.

"Come on, Jane. Do you really think I don't know you well enough to see exactly how you feel about Dr Isles?"

* * *

"So what do we know?" Korsak asked, opening his notepad.

"Well, Jane and Maura are practically inseparable..." Frost was pensive. "And Jane's always on the lookout for any little excuse to go down to the morgue."

He put on his best Jane-Rizzoli-style voice and pointed towards the door of the bullpen. "Oh, Maur's found something! I better get downstairs!"

"Yeah, and Maura always puts up with Jane's teasing." Frankie added. "In fact she goes all giggly and coy..."

Korsak nodded. "Yeah! And have you seen her smile? There's a certain smile that I've noticed Dr Isles only use for Jane...Even when I'm at my most charming, she never smiles at _me_that way."

"Your _most charming_? Ok, Casanova..." Frost snorted. "But yeah, she only smiles like that when Jane's around."

"Or when someone mentions Jane!" Frankie added, pacing back and forth in front of Frost's desk. "Geez, I can't believe I let you guys talk me into coming into work this early on a Saturday to talk about my sister's love life! Does this extra snooping mean that you'll be putting me forward for a gold badge soon, Vince?"

Frankie finally stopped pacing and sat down opposite Korsak.

"If it was up to me Frankie, you'd already have made Detective! Now, have you asked your mother about Jane and Dr Isles yet?"

Frankie shook his head. "I don't want to look suspicious...After all, it's none of my business."

"Just call her, Frankie!"

* * *

"Come on, pick up..." Maura whispered as the phone rang and rang in her ear. "Ian?"

"Maura?"

"Ian, I'm sorry." Maura hurried. "Please don't hang up! I don't want things to be bad between us."

"Don't worry Maura." Ian's voice was calm, no hint of anger now. "I want you to be happy."

"Can we be friends again? I don't want to lose you."

"You won't. You can't." Ian paused, and silence passed between them. He cleared his throat. "So...did you speak to Jane yet?"

"Not yet." Maura breathed. "I think she'll be mad..."

"Maura, she loves you too, you know. I can tell."

"I don't know, Ian..."

"Trust me..." Ian laughed. "I'm a Doctor."

Maura was silent on the line again for a long moment.

"She still hasn't answered my texts..." Maura sighed. "I'm a bit worried."

"Go and talk to her." Ian's voice was genuinely kind, and Maura's heart lifted.

"Yes. Thanks Ian... Thank you for being so understanding."

"It's ok, Maura. I know I hurt you in the past... I don't want to do that ever again. Go and be happy!"

"Thanks. I'll see you around?"

"Sure, soon. Good luck, Maura."

In a surge of emotion, Maura jumped into her car and drove straight across town to Jane's building.

She hurried up to Jane's apartment, and as Maura reached the top of the flight of stairs, a slightly dishevelled, blonde woman rounded the corner, fluffing her hair as she walked.  
_  
"Walk of Shame!"_ Maura thought as the woman came closer, her eyes squinting in the bright sunlight. _"Rumpled clothes, an obvious hangover, and all the classic sighs."_

The woman shielded her eyes from the sunny window, and looked down at the floor. As she got near, the woman moved to the side so Maura could pass her in the narrow corridor.

"Sorry." She mumbled with a small smile, and with a sudden pang Maura noticed a familiar shirt underneath the blonde's half-open jacket: 'Scare Yourself Every Day'.

Maura didn't believe in coincidences; that woman was wearing Jane's shirt!

* * *

"I'm sure it's not like that, Ma." Jane started at the sound of the doorbell, grabbing up Sara's forgotten shirt from the back of the couch. "You know Maura loves Ian! She always has."

Jane distractedly opened the door. "I knew you'd be back, Sara! You forgot your..."

Jane's eyes widened and her eyebrows arched in surprise.

"Maura!"

"Jane."

The doctor's voice was clipped but civil, and her face looked flushed and as though she was holding something back. Maura looked past the detective, and into the apartment. Angela smiled at her, but Maura looked back to Jane.

"You didn't reply to my messages... Can I come in?"

"Uh, sure." Jane stepped back, closing the door behind her. Maura fiddled with the clasp of expensive purse she had slung over her shoulder.

"Jane, can we talk?" Maura followed the detective over to the kitchen. "It's important."

"Ok." Jane sighed. "Coffee?"

"Please." Maura nodded and sat down at the counter. "Hello, Angela." Maura smiled weakly at Jane's mother.

"Good morning, Maura."

Jane put a mug down in front of the doctor, and Maura looked up into Jane's still bleary eyes.

"I'm guessing you didn't just go to the Robber last night..."

"Dr Maura Isles, _guessing_?" Jane muttered, pouring the coffee. "_There's_something new!"

"Come on, Jane! I was worried about you!"

"Ok, I didn't go to the Robber..." Jane was starting to feel irritated by Maura's judgemental tone.

"I saw your friend leaving just now." Maura said curtly, picking up her mug and taking a sip of coffee. "_Sara_, was it?" Maura glanced at the shirt Jane had dropped on the counter. "She looked a bit worse for wear, Jane. Long night?"

Jane balled her fists and glanced to her mother then back at Maura.

"I could ask you the same thing, Dr Isles." Jane's voice was prickly. "How is _Ian_?"

Sensing things were about to blow up, Angela grabbed her coat. "I gotta go..."

Angela hurried out of the apartment, but neither the doctor nor the detective noticed her leave; their blazing glares fixed solely on one another.

* * *

Maura and Jane stared intensely at each other, both daring the other to speak first; eventually Maura broke.

"So, Sara?"

"Yeah."

"You lifted her up last night?"

"What?" Jane exclaimed, then realised the Medical Examiner's slip. "No, Maura. I _picked_her up last night."

That was just what Maura had been waiting for Jane to say.

"So you didn't return my messages because you were too busy making out with your new girlfriend..."

"She's not my girlfriend."

"You were here with her! And you let me worry about you all night, when all it would have taken is one text message to ease my mind!"

"I was a bit busy..."

"Did you do anything?" Maura asked.

"Maybe..." Jane smirked at the annoyed and flustered doctor.

"This is not like you at all Jane! I don't think I like this side of you..."

"You're the one who's always telling me that sex wards off colds! Maybe that's what I was doing!" Now Jane's nostrils flared in irritation at the naive ME.

Maura glared at Jane, who returned the death-stare with the same potency.

"But I didn't just mean having sex with _random_ people. Random _women_..." Maura trailed off.

"What about you and Ian?" Jane bit back.

"Jane, we've known each other for _years_! We've made love many times..."

"Stop!" Jane held up her hands. "I don't want to hear it!"

"But last night I told him to leave!" Maura was desperate to be understood, and to understand why Jane had acted the way she had; it was so out of character for her to pick up random strangers at a bar. "I told Ian that I no longer felt the way I used to..."

"Why, Maura?" Jane pleaded, her dark eyes wide, her voice softer now.

"Why what, Jane?"

"Why didn't you tell me about Ian _again_? Why did you keep it from me? It's no secret how hurt I was last time... "

Maura stood up from her seat and took a step away from the detective's accusing stare.

"Maura!" Jane rounded the counter and advanced towards her, but stopped about a foot away. "Don't run off! Just talk to me!"

"I'm tired, Jane!" Maura's voice was a mixture between a shout and a sob as she whirled around to face Jane. "I'm tired of waiting!"

"Waiting for what?"

"For someone to _really_love me!" Maura knew how desperate and melodramatic she must sound.

Jane's mouth hung open. "What?"

"I want someone to finally put me first. And I'm tired of waiting for y..." Maura stopped suddenly. "Forget it, Jane."

"No, I won't forget it, Maura! You were about to say that you were tired of _me_, weren't you?"

"I'm tired of waiting. I know that Ian _does_love me..."

"He's got some way of showing it! Maura, he lied to you! He made you an accessory to criminal activity!"

"I know that. But he also really does _love_me."

"Then why are you _here_?" Jane roared. "Why do you care what I was doing last night if you got to spend the evening with the 'love of your life'?"

Jane's air quotes were angry and cynical, and she glared at Maura.

"I told him I couldn't be with him any longer..." Maura held Jane's glare. "I told him I only want to be friends."

"Friends?" Jane scoffed. "I can assure you that Ian will _always_want to be more than just friends!"

"_You_ don't _know_him!" Maura shrieked. "You can't judge him!"

"I know enough about him to know that I don't like him!" Jane yelled back. "Mark my words, Maura. He won't be happy being just your friend... And I won't comfort you again when he hurts you this time!"

"And who says I'll let him hurt me?" Maura spoke defiantly now, doing her best to stare down the imposing and obstinate detective.

"I do!"

"Well, you know all about hurting me, don't you, Jane?!"

Maura turned on her heel to storm out of the room, but Jane quickly reached for Maura's arm.

"Maur, please. I'm sorry! Please don't walk away like that."

Maura frowned, wrenched her arm from Jane's grip, and left without another word.

* * *

Sara hadn't recognised Maura in the corridor of Jane's building, so was still in a delighted mood when she arrived at the rehearsal rooms, with nothing to dampen her spirits.

She greeted the conductor, and moved to sit down in her place to set up her clarinet.

From across the room Jess waved at her, and came over to Sara, flute in hand.

"Hey!"

"Jess! Any luck last night?" Sara smiled, snapping her clarinet case closed.

"Not really. After all that, I ended up just leaving on my own. I was pretty glad to just crawl into bed actually." Jess smiled and glanced at her watch. "My head is pounding now though, and I only got up, like, an hour ago!"

Sara nodded slowly. "Yeah, me too..."

"But where did _you_end up last night?" Jess asked, smirking. "Did you leave with that cop?"

Sara smiled coyly.

"You _did_! Tell me everything, Sara!"

"There's nothing to tell..."

"Did you do anything?"

"I'm not saying!"

"Well, are you dating?" Jess grinned, not one to give up.

"Maybe..."

"Oh, you're such a romantic!" Jess turned to take her place with the other flautists, calling over her shoulder. "Trust you to snag a badass cop."

"Detective!" Sara smiled proudly.

* * *

"Hey Ma!"

"Oh, Frankie." Angela was surprised to get a call from her son. "You're actually calling me? Not just texting? Wow, you must really want something."

"No!" Frankie faked innocence. "No, I just wanted a chat. Ya know, say hi and all."

"Frankie, you only saw me yesterday...what's really going on?"

"Nothing! Geez, give me a break, Ma!""

"Sorry. Thank you for calling."

"So, how's things?"

"Oh, alright I guess..."

"Ma?"

"I went to see Janie this morning. She didn't answer my texts last night."

"She didn't show up for drinks at the Robber last night... is she okay, Ma?"

"I don't know, Frankie. Dr Isles was at Jane's place this morning too."

"Oh?" Frankie grinned down the phone, excited to tell Korsak and Frost the gossip. "She and Jane...What were they doing?"

"Jane hadn't answered Maura's texts last night either."

"Oh." Frankie was surprised to hear that Maura and Jane hadn't been together last night. "So what _was_Jane up to last night?"

"She went out..."

Frankie knew his mother's tone. "She's seeing someone?"

Angela sighed. "She picked up a girl named Sara last night."

Frankie was silent for a long moment. "And what did Maura have to say about that?"

"Well, when I left the apartment, she and Jane were about to have a fight. I got out of there right in the nick of time."

"Ohhh..."

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Sorry for the wait, and thanks for your reviews! I love to hear from you.  
I know some of you are concerned about how strongly Jane can feel for Sara, and I know it might seem a bit fast... But I'm basing Jane's feelings on my own experience. I am one of those people (call us fools if you like) who eventually realised that they had fallen in love with one of their best friends. My 'Maura' was all I thought about for a long time, but I could never say anything. Then I met my 'Sara' completely by chance, and I was blown away almost immediately! But I never really got to know my 'Sara' very well and before I knew it I had lost my chance completely...  
So I whole-heartedly apologize if Jane's actions and feelings seem rash and perhaps unrealistic, but I have based them on the reality of personal experience. It's the contrast between long-term, undisclosed attraction, and immediate, unexpected attraction. Sorry for the self-help session, but I hope it helps to see where I'm coming from.  
Thanks again. Now, back to the story! xo**

Chapter Five

_Have you ever met someone and suddenly felt something? Like a punch in the gut, or a slap in the face, as soon as your eyes meet? As soon as you share a smile and introduce yourselves? Have you ever found yourself inexplicably drawn to someone you barely know? I'm so confused...  
Why is this even an option? Maura's basically confessed her love for me! It's what I've always wanted. But now I think that I'm feeling something for Sara, who I don't even know! I've never been one to rush into love-stuff. I always take my time, and I know I've even been called frigid in the past; Catholic upbringing, you know. Just look at how long I've known Maura, how long my feelings have had to develop. Maybe I'm on some weird kind of rebound... I need to sort this out, and soon!_

* * *

For the rest of the day Jane tried not to brood over Maura. She punched at her punch bag for an hour and a half until her scarred hands couldn't stand the impacts any longer.

Then she pulled on her running shoes and dragged Jo Friday out of the apartment for a harsh run around the Common.  
The little dog was barely able to keep up, but Jane didn't seem to notice. She wanted to feel the burn in her muscles, and the air leaving and entering her lungs in sharp breaths.

As she walked slowly back up the stairs to her apartment, Jane clutched at the stitch in her side and the twinge in her hamstring. She deserved this pain and exhaustion; punishment for her own stupidity, and spite towards Maura.

Jane grabbed a glass of water and pulled her phone from her pocket, hoping to see that she had missed a message from her best friend, but she hadn't.

Jane sat down at her kitchen counter and stared around her apartment as she sipped the cold water. Jo lay down in her bed tiredly and was soon napping soundly.

Jane began to notice all of Maura's things which were to be found in her apartment. From her current seat she could see Maura's running shoes, one of her sweaters, and several boxes of Maura's favourite teas on a shelf in the kitchen.

Jane stood up and walked to her bathroom. She splashed water on her face and stared at herself in the mirror. From the corner of her eye Jane spotted a bottle of Maura's fancy shampoo in the shower. She turned and picked up the bottle, flicking the cap open, and smelling the fruity smell she always remembered when she thought of Maura. Jane put the bottle back with a heavy sigh and headed into her bedroom.

If she had wanted a respite from thoughts of Maura, then the bedroom was certainly not the best place to be.  
Jane noticed Maura's curling tongs lying neatly on the floor beside the mirror. Jane pulled off her sweaty t-shirt and opened her closet to find a fresh one, this time coming across one of Maura's pearl necklaces lying on a shelf.

Jane lay down across the bed, her ankles dangling off the mattress, and stared at the ceiling. After a few moments in silence, she called out for her companion.  
"Jo!"

The dog trotted into the room, her tail wagging. Jane patted the bed beside her and Jo happily hopped up and snuggled close to Jane's side.  
"I'm sorry for earlier, Jo. I shouldn't have put you through that. You didn't deserve it."

The dog watched Jane intently, her tail still wagging, her pink tongue gently licking the back of Jane's hand.  
"Thanks, and I know you forgive me."

Jane sighed and rubbed Jo's back.  
"If only it could be this easy to get Maura to forgive me."

Later that evening, while looking through a drawer, Jane found a pair of Maura's pyjamas and also a set of lingerie. It was then that she knew that she needed to sort all this mess out. Jane pulled out her cell phone and sent text messages to both Maura and Sara.

* * *

After their orchestra session, Sara and Jess decided that a movie night was in order. They headed back to Jess's place, along with by Chinese food, ice cream and several rented DVDs.

Huddled up on the couch together, Jess grilled Sara for the gossip on her latest conquest.

"Detective Jane Rizzoli?" Jess mumbled through a mouthful of noodles. "Even her name's hot!"

Sara just smiled.

"So, which movie shall we watch first?"

From the coffee table, Sara's cell phone vibrated. She lunged forward to grab it, but Jess was too quick, snatching the phone up with a triumphant whoop.

"Oh ho! I wonder who this could be?" Jess smirked, keeping the phone away from her best friend's grasp.

"Give it here, Jess!"

"I'd bet my flute that it's your Detective!"

"Just give it to me, Jess!"

Jess relented, grinning and leaning in closer as Sara read the message._****_

'Sara, I need to see you. Jane.'  
  
"Oh my God!"Jess squealed, truly excited for her friend."Text her back! Text her back right now!"  
_**  
'Hey Jane. Lunch on Monday? Sara x'**_

'Ok. Colm's Diner? A block away from the Police Department. 1pm?'

'It's a date! x'  


* * *

Maura was moping. She never really thought of herself as the needy, moping kind, but this business with Jane had really gotten to her. She needed someone to talk to about how she was feeling and what she should do, but she usually talked to Jane!

After spending a much longer time than usual lying in bed, hoping for the oblivion only sleep could offer, and the rest of the day reading the latest delivery of subscription medical journals, Maura decided that she would try and talk to the next best thing to Jane, and the woman who had been more like a mother lately to her than her own; Angela.

Maura dressed, carefully avoiding looking at Jane's clothes in the drawers, and headed over to the guest house. Maura took a deep breath before knocking on the door.

"Come in!" Angela called, and Maura entered the guest house to find Angela and Frankie sitting on the couch drinking coffee.

When he saw Maura, Frankie smiled before downing the rest of his coffee and standing up to leave.

"Thanks for the coffee, Ma. I'll see you both around. Take care, Maura."

"Oh, you don't have to leave on my account, Frankie. I just wanted a quick word with Angela, but I can come back later..."

"No, it's ok, Maura. I just stopped over for a coffee."

"Remember what I said, Frankie." Angela smiled at her son. "I'll talk to you later. Now, Maura, come talk to me."

"Angela..." Maura sat down on the couch beside Jane's mother. "I don't really know what to say."

"Tell me what happened with Jane." Angela spoke gently. "Take your time."

"Oh, Angela. Jane is your daughter. You know her better than I do... I don't know what I should do."

"I know that she cares about you Maura. She always has, and I'm glad that you feel the same way about her." Angela took Maura's hand. "Did you fight after I left? I could sense the tension."

Maura nodded. "Jane's just so... I think I over-reacted."

"Jane over-reacted too." Angela smiled in reply, and squeezed Maura's hand between both of hers. "Like you said, I know Jane. And I know how quick tempered she can be; she's been like that since she was a child."

"Angela, I don't know what to do about... everything." Maura paused, wincing at the thought of Jane with Sara.

"You mean Sara?" Angela watched the doctor closely. "Maura, don't worry yet. Jane's impulsive, and God knows she can be far too reckless and rash, but it's all because of the strength of her feelings."

Maura looked puzzled.

"What I mean, Maura, is that Janie has always been that way. She jumps into things headfirst, head over heels. And it's all because she follows her heart, even though she says that she doesn't. Any rash decision she has ever made has always come back down to love; because of her feelings, her love."

Maura remembered the time Jane had impulsively shot herself to save her brother, and Maura, all because of love.

Then Jane had overpowered Hoyt and his accomplice, to stop them from hurting Maura. At that moment in the prison medical centre, Jane had been helpless and impotent; her strength and recklessness had come only when Hoyt had threatened Maura's dignity and life.

Maura smiled at the memory, despite the tears that were beginning to form in her eyes.

"Angela, I told her that I was tired of waiting. What if..."

"Trust me, Maura." Angela interrupted. "I know Jane will come through, and I know she _loves_ you. Just give her some time now to be honest with herself, and with you... and then show her that you are being honest with her."

Maura nodded and leaned in to hug Angela.

"Thank you, Angela." She whispered, squeezing her tightly.

"You're welcome Maura. I know I've said it before, but you're like my daughter too..."Angela pulled out of the hug and stroked some of Maura's hair away from her face. "I want the two of you to be happy. And, just in case she's even more pig-headed than I thought, I'll try and talk some sense into Jane for you."

Maura laughed lightly and stood up.

"Goodnight, Angela."

"Goodnight, sweetheart."

When Maura returned to her own house, she noticed her cell phone flashing from the kitchen counter. As soon as Maura saw the text message, tears welled in her eyes once again.  
_**  
'Maura, I'm so sorry. Have a good weekend. See you soon. J x'**_

* * *

The next morning, Jane groaned and pulled the covers up over her head, trying to ignore the pounding on the front door.

"Jane!"

"Go away, Ma!"

"Jane, open up! I won't leave..."

Jane stormed to the front door and yanked it open, glaring wildly at her mother.

"What, Ma? It's Sunday!"

Angela pushed past Jane into the apartment.

"Good morning to you too, Jane. Now, get dressed."

"Why?"

"Because we're going to church."

"What? Why?"

"Because."

"That's not an answer, Ma. You know I only go at Easter and Christmas."

"I want you to come. I think it would do you good..."

"Urgh." Jane groaned.

"Jane, come on! Frankie usually comes with me when I ask him, but he's pulling an early shift today...Please, Janie! When do I ever ask you for much?"

"Fine!" Jane sighed loudly and dragged herself to the bathroom. "But just so you know, I don't own any Sunday best clothes!"

"Did you talk to Maura yet?" Angela called loudly approaching the bathroom.

Jane's head poked back out of the door.

"What?"

"Did you talk to Maura yet?"

Jane frowned. "Are you meddling again, Ma?"

"No. I just wondered if you and her had gotten over your fight yet."

"Who says we've had a fight?"

"Maura."

"Oh." Jane's face fell. "So she's talked to you?"

Angela nodded. "Yes. She told me what happened."

* * *

"So your mother told you that Jane's seeing a woman who _isn't_ Dr Isles?" Frost asked.

"Yeah. Some girl called Sara apparently..."

"And Angela walked in on them in the middle of making out?" Korsak grinned. "Awkward!"

"Try having your mother tell you _all_ the details!" Frankie grimaced. "Now _that_ was awkward." He put on his best Angela Rizzoli voice. "Oh, Frankie! So I unlocked the door because there was no answer and I was worried... and they were on the couch and Janie was on top of Sara and...urgh!" Frankie shuddered. "I didn't need those details!"

"So what do we do now?" Korsak asked. "Do we know anything about Jane's fancy-woman, other than that her name is Sara?"

"Ma said that she plays clarinet for the Boston Symphony Orchestra."

Frost smiled, scribbling down the details on a post-it note. "Sara, clarinet, Boston Symphony... That's enough info for an innocent little Google session... Have you spoken to the Doc yet, Frankie?"

Frankie shook his head. "She came round while I was visiting Ma last night, and wanted to talk to Ma about something. I presume she wanted to talk about Jane. I might try and talk to Maura myself, see if she really is as into Jane as Ma says..."

* * *

"Come on Jane! You can't let down Father Murphy! He's known you since you were a kid!"

"I can't believe you did this, Ma!" Jane hissed. "And you only just tell me now!"

The priest stood up at the front and addressed the congregation.

"To read from the scriptures this morning, we welcome Detective Jane Rizzoli of the Boston Police Department."

With one last glare at her mother, Jane relented and stood up to take her place at the front.

Father Murphy gave her a smile as she looked down at the Bible on the pulpit before her. She closed her eyes for the briefest of seconds and took a deep breath before looking at the congregation before her and starting to read.

"Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave..."

Jane stopped, her voice overcome with emotion.

"I'm sorry." Her voice was now a hoarse whisper, but the microphone picked up every word. "I can't do this right now."

Jane strode quickly down the aisle and out of the church.

"Jane." Angela stood up and followed her daughter quickly, glancing apologetically at the priest. "Jane!"

Angela hurried down the steps to find Jane leaning against the gate to the church, her head down.

From Jane's pose, Angela knew that her daughter was close to tears. She placed a gentle hand on Jane's shoulder, and waited for her to speak.

"I don't blame her for not wanting to speak to me. I- I don't know how to sort this all out, Ma." Jane's breath caught with suppressed sobs.

"You will, Jane. You're a good woman, and a good friend, and Maura knows that."

"Yeah..." Jane wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "But if I'm such a good friend, then why have I treated Maur like crap?"

"Maybe because, deep down, you've always wanted to be more than her friend." Angela spoke sincerely.

Jane sighed. "Maybe."

"The two of you need to start over. Wipe the slate clean and be honest with each other. Janie..."

Before Jane had a chance to reply or protest, Angela grabbed her in a fierce hug. "You are my daughter. Be brave like I know you are."

* * *

That afternoon someone knocked on Maura's front door. The rhythm of the loud knock was familiar, and Maura jumped up from the couch to answer the door.

Much to Maura's surprise she opened the door to find Frankie Rizzoli standing there in his uniform. He had his hands in his pockets and was rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet; a trait he shared with his sister. Maura smiled slightly.

"Hi Maura."

"Frankie! What's up?"

"I finished my shift, and wanted to talk to you about something."

"Ok. Come in." Maura led the way to the kitchen. "Let me get you something to drink."

Frankie noticed that the TV was on, tuned to the sports channel.

"You gonna be watching the Pats game, Maura?" Frankie asked with a smile.

"Yes, actually." Maura answered. "Jane got me into football. I really enjoy studying the physics involved... and the tactics are a lot like those needed for a game of chess."

Frankie smiled at Maura's loveable geekiness, but her mention of Jane was not lost on him.

"Would you like to watch with me?" Maura asked. "I was gonna order a pizza, and I have some beer in the fridge."

"Is Jane coming over?" Frankie asked, unbuttoning the restrictive top buttons of his uniform shirt, and rolling up his sleeves.

"Oh... No, not today." Maura turned away to fetch a beer for Frankie.

"Ok." Frankie grinned. "I'd love to watch the game with you, Maura."

"Great!" Maura handed him a bottle of beer, a bright smile lighting up her face.

* * *

_**A/N: Thanks for reading! I'll update ASAP, and I hope to publish the first chapter of my Season 4 fic soon too! x**_


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Let me assure you that this story is most definitely Rizzles, and it's coming very soon, I promise. x**

Chapter Six

_I remember Maura once asking me how can you love someone and not be able to be with them.  
I thought I knew. I thought that if you can't be with that person, the love, the flame you held for them, dwindles and fades like a campfire, neglected and forgotten by novice Sprout Troopers.  
Back then I thought that I could not think of Maura as mine... She never really was anyway; she had always been Ian's. The flame she held for him continued despite not being able to be with him. She had proved my theory wrong... But now everything is different.  
Maura chose me over Ian; something I never believed was possible. Her love for him died out over time, but the love I feel for her has not diminished, and it's still burning as strong as ever, despite my stupidity.  
She must know how I feel, but she still hasn't spoken to me since Saturday morning. And it's all because I was jealous, and a complete coward...  
All I can do now is try to regain and maintain some semblance of the friendship we had before. Only then can I be sure that she has forgiven me, and can still feel some sort of love for me... But what if she hasn't? Having Maura as a friend is better than not having her at all... isn't it?  
_

* * *

Frankie and Maura had both been yelling at the TV, enjoying the game despite their disappointment at the fact that the Patriots were losing.

"They're getting their asses kicked!" Frankie laughed, popping open a fresh beer during a break in play.

"Frankie," Maura spoke seriously. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure. Shoot." Frankie watched Maura expectantly.

"I-I know that Jane confides in you."

Frankie nodded. "Sometimes."

"Well, has she ever..." Maura stopped and sighed. "I don't know how to ask this."

"Just ask, Maura."

"Has Jane ever said anything to you about her and me... our...relationship?" Maura's question came out in a rush.

Frankie did not speak for a moment, instead he looked back at the TV and sipped noisily at his beer. Maura watched him, noticing the similarity of mannerisms he shared with his sister.

"Not really." Frankie answered, looking back at Maura. "But I know that she has plenty she wants to say."

Maura nodded.

"Can I tell you a secret, Maura?" Frankie whispered, although there was no one else in the room.

"Of course. I'm a vault."

"Frost and Korsak have roped me into helping them with an investigation."

"That's great, Frankie."

"Yeah, but it's not an official one."

Maura frowned. "I'm not sure I understand."

"They have asked me to help them find out if there is, or ever has been, anything going on between you and Jane."

"Oh." Maura looked a little shocked, and Frankie placed a friendly hand on her arm.

"We all suspected something, Maura. We all see how you two look at each other."

"Is it that obvious?"

Frankie nodded, a grin on his face. "It's totally obvious, Maura."

"Then why is Jane being so stubborn? Why hasn't she said anything to me about it?"

"Well, when it comes to feelings, Jane's never been any good at dealing with them. Just give her some more time. Do you want me to try and talk to her?"

"Really? Frankie, I don't want you to feel awkward..."

"Maura, I'm a Rizzoli. I've been dealing with awkward situations since I was in kindergarten." Frankie laughed and nudged Maura playfully.

"All I want is for you and Jane to be happy, and if the two of you can be happy together that would be even better. You're like a sister to me, Maura, but I know that you are so much more than that to Jane."

"Thank you, Frankie." Maura leaned forward and hugged Frankie tightly. "I always wanted a little brother like you!"

"Well, don't thank me too soon, Maura." He grinned again. "But if all goes to plan, you'll be sister-in-law to Tommy and I, and a legal part of the crazy Rizzoli family before you know it!"

Before Maura could say anything a large cheer erupted from the TV. The game was over; the Pats had lost.

"Well, on that note, I better get going." Frankie stood up from the couch. "Don't worry, Maura. Everything will sort itself out in the end, it always does."

"Thanks so much Frankie." Maura hugged him again and saw him to the front door.

"Goodnight, Maura." Frankie smiled and waved as he got back into his car. "See you soon."

Encouraged by Frankie's words, Maura took out her phone and wrote a message to Jane.  
_**  
"Jane, I'm sorry too. Hope you're not too disappointed with the Pats. I'll see you at work. x"**_

* * *

On Monday morning, Jane was in a much better mood. Maura had replied to her text and things were looking up. While she was in the shower, Jane's phone rang.

"Rizzoli."

A young blonde woman had been found dead in the lake in a Boston park.

"I'm on my way."

Jane dressed in her burgundy shirt and grey pant suit and grabbed her car keys from the kitchen counter. There was no time to make herself some coffee; she would have to pick some up on route.

Jane was desperate to ensure that Maura had forgiven her, and knowing that she would have to see her face to face at the crime scene, Jane decided to make amends in the way they always used to; over a cup of coffee...

With a melancholy smile, Jane grabbed a tea spoon from the drawer and stuck it into the inside pocket of her grey suit jacket.

"See you later Jo!"

On the way to the scene, Jane quickly stopped to pick up coffee for herself and Maura. She wanted to ease the recent tension between them any way she could, so she remembered to order organic, extra-hot coffee with 1% milk, and just a hint of foam, for the fastidious ME.

When Jane got to the crime scene, Frost had just arrived. She couldn't see Maura anywhere. Jane headed over to Frost, who was getting out of his car.

"Hey Frost. Where's Maura?"

"She's not here yet." Frost said, eyeing the extra coffee in Jane's hand. "That for me?"

"Nope. It's for Maura."

"Even after whatever's been going on between you two?"

"Yep. Hoes before bros, Frost..." Jane smirked, as she ducked under the yellow Police tape as Frost held it up.

"What has been going on with you two?" Frost asked. "Are you going to have another cat-fight?"

"None of your business, partner." Jane smirked. "But hopefully it was just a storm in a teacup... and besides, we're _professionals_."

Frankie came over to them from where he had been standing by his patrol car.

"Morning, sis."

"Hey, Frankie."

Jane noticed a familiar Prius pull up nearby and she watched Maura get out.

The ME was immaculately dressed as always, but something about her demeanour told Jane that Maura was not as composed as usual.

"Be right back... Maura!" Jane jogged over to meet the doctor. "Hi."

"Good morning."

"Maura." Jane's voice was gentle as she held out Maura's cup of coffee. "Peace offering."

"Jane..." Maura spoke compassionately now, but a hint of awkwardness still clung to her voice.

"It's made with the green label beans, and it's extra hot!" Jane hurried. "And it's 1% milk, _and_..."

Jane dramatically pulled the teaspoon from her pocket and brandished it at Maura.

"I _didn't_ bring you a stirrer!"

A smile broke across Maura's face, and Jane knew that her plan to melt the coolness between them had worked.

"Thanks, Jane." Maura took the offered spoon and stirred her coffee.

"It's ok. I didn't have time this morning to pick up any of that chocolate with gold flecks in it..." Jane smiled, and chanced touching Maura's arm gently, before she led  
the way across the field towards where Frost and Frankie were standing.

"Frankie..." Frost whispered hurriedly, noticing Jane returning. "I did a little detective work. Sara the clarinet girl is clean... Good morning, Doctor Isles."

"Good morning." Maura smiled at the men.

"So, what have we got?" Jane asked, all seriousness now.

"White female, approximately in her mid-twenties. Suspected drowning, but with evidence of some sort of head injury." Frost led them a little further to where the  
body lay on the lake shore. Korsak was already there.

Maura snapped on her gloves and began to look at the woman, while Jane, Frost and Korsak checked the area.

"Jane!" Maura called the Detective over. "It looks as though there is definitely evidence of a head injury."

"Any idea what caused it?" Jane asked, knowing Maura well enough to know that she would be unlikely to provide an assumption at this stage of the investigation.

Much to her surprise, however, Maura provided Jane with an answer. Maura was desperate to not antagonise Jane, so providing her with an educated, albeit assumed, answer seemed like the best way to go.

"It looks as though she was struck with an object. Likely to be some sort of blunt instrument by the look of the wound."

Jane crouched down beside her, and Maura pointed out the wound on the woman's head.

"The wound was inflicted before her death... but I can't yet say whether or not it was the cause of death."

"Thanks, Maur." Jane stood up and then held out her hand to help the ME to her feet.

The contact of their hands, despite their gloves, was enough to send a jolt down both of their spines.

Jane squeezed Maura's hand before dropping it and pulling off her gloves. She looked around and waved to Korsak and Frost, signalling that they were ready for the body to be removed and taken back to the morgue.

Jane and Maura walked back to their cars, and Jane watched the uniformed officers putting more yellow Police tape around the whole area.

"Jo and I used to like to come here for walks." Jane said sadly, stopping as they crossed the footbridge over the lake. "It looks like we won't be coming back here for a while."

Jane leaned on the railing of the bridge and sighed, looking out over the water.

"Jane," Maura stood beside her, shoulder to shoulder. "We need to talk."

"I know, Maura." Jane turned and touched Maura's arm. "It's going to be a long day... but we'll talk later." She held Maura's gaze, adding sincerely, "I promise."

* * *

It was after midday by the time they arrived back at the precinct, and Jane was shocked to find a dainty bouquet of flowers lying on her desk.

"They're for you, Jane." Korsak said, stating the obvious, as Jane picked up the small card with the flowers.

"Oh, Korsak, you _shouldn't_ have!" Jane sneered, and silently read the card.  
_  
"To my knight in shining armour! See you soon! S xo"_

Jane's eyes widened._  
_  
"Who are they from?" Korsak asked, nosily.

"Someone..." Jane tucked the card into her pocket. She had totally forgotten her lunch with Sara. Jane looked at her watch; she was now almost half an hour late.

"Crap! I forgot I had a lunch to go to. I'll see you later." She hurried back out of the office and round the corner to Colm's Diner.

Through the diner window, Jane was relieved to see Sara still sitting in a booth. She waved to her and hurried inside.

"Sorry I'm late, Sara." Jane sat down opposite her. "I was called out to a new crime scene this morning."

"Ok, Jane." Sara smiled. "I know your job is busy and important." Sara reached out and boldly took Jane's hand across the table. "I'm just glad you're here now!"

"Yeah..." Jane pulled her hand away and grabbed a menu. "Have you ordered yet?"

"No. Did you get my flowers?"

"Oh, yes. They were nice. Thank you."

Sara looked pleased with herself and Jane's heart wilted slightly.

"Sara," Jane put down her menu. "I wanted to see you..."

"I wanted to see to you too Jane!"

"...because I have something that I need to explain to you."

* * *

"Where's Jane?" Maura walked into the bullpen. "We were supposed to meet in my office half an hour ago." She held up the two sandwiches wrapped in brown paper that she was carrying.

"Lunch date." Korsak said without thinking, gesturing at the flowers on Jane's desk.

Maura's face fell, but she composed herself quickly. "Did she say who she was having lunch with?"

"No." Korsak shook his head. "Although she seemed pretty anxious to go..."

"Oh. Ok. I guess I'll have to catch her later then."

Frost and Korsak exchanged quick glances.

"Did you guys already have lunch?" Maura asked them, and they shook their heads. "Here, have these."

Maura put the sandwiches down on Frost's desk.

"What about you?" Frost asked.

"I've lost my appetite. See you later." Maura left the room hurriedly.

"So much for them being professionals..." Frost said. "There is definitely something up between them."

Korsak just nodded, taking a large bite out of his sandwich.

Back in her office, Maura threw herself down at her desk and continued with her paperwork.

She knew who Jane was out with right now; she had seen the flowers on the desk, and Dr Maura Isles was not stupid.

Those flowers were so nice that they just had to be from a woman... But just as Maura felt her own jealousy flaring again, her cell phone buzzed.  
_**  
'Sorry, Maur. I forgot I had arranged lunch with Sara. There is a lot I need to tell her. I'll see you soon and we can talk then. J x'**_

* * *

"Sara, I can't see you anymore."

"But, Jane..." Sara thought for a moment as she looked into Jane's face. "Hold on... Is this because of the woman in your photo?"

Jane nodded.

"I really like you, Jane."

"I like you too, Sara, but this isn't right. I don't want to lead you on any more than I already have."

"Jane," Sara reached out across the table to take Jane's hand. "I never thought that we would break up before we even started anything."

Jane started to apologize again, but Sara interrupted her. "But I had a feeling that I might have just been a distraction that night...especially seeing as you fell asleep on me."

"I'm sorry, Sara. I really do like you, and I'm sorry that I had to meet you at such a strange, turbulent, time..."

"I like you too, Jane, and I wish we could have met under different circumstances."

"I know you might not want to," Jane began slowly. "But I'd still like to get to know you. I'd like us to be friends."

Sara smiled at the detective's sincerity. "We can try... I'd like to know you better too, Jane."

"Thanks." Jane squeezed Sara's hand before picking up her coffee and taking a large gulp.

"Now, seeing as we're trying to be friends and get to know each other..." Sara made eye-contact with Jane again. "You need to know that I'm a great believer in true love. So, Jane, if you'll let me, I'd like to help you be honest about your feelings for..."

"Maura." Jane offered.

"Maura." Sara repeated. "Tell me about the problem, Jane. I- I want to help you."

"It's so complicated." Jane rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands. "But I think we may finally be on the verge of something... We've been best friends for years, and we've kind of, probably, been on the verge for years too."

Sara nodded. "So you're one of those goofballs who eventually fell for their BFF?" She chuckled good-naturedly, and Jane nodded.

"And now," Jane confessed. "I know for a fact that she's in love with me."

"Just tell her how you feel, Jane."

"I don't know if I can."

"Be honest with her... Look at how you managed to tell me the truth."

"Sara, how can you be so accepting? I would have slapped me in the face by now." Jane stared at the woman before her. "I'm so sorry for leading you on..."

"Jane, you didn't."

Suddenly, disturbing the moment, Jane's cell phone rang.

"Sorry, Sara. I have to take this... Hey Korsak, any news?"

* * *

Korsak informed Jane that CSRU had found the young woman's backpack amongst some bushes close to where her body had been found in the park.

Within the bag was a wallet containing her Boston college ID card and Massachusetts driver's licence; her name was Kerry Newton, age 24.

Using the address on the driver's licence, Frost found out that the girl had still been living at home with her parents while going to college.

So when Jane returned from the diner, she and Frost headed across town to Revere to take on the often distressing, but always important, task of speaking to the victim's parents.

Jane knocked on the front door of the small house, and a blonde woman answered.

"Mrs Newton?"

"Yes."

"I'm Detective Jane Rizzoli from the Boston Police, and this is Detective Barry Frost." Jane and Frost flashed their badges quickly. "We need to speak to you. May we come in?"

"Of course." The woman led the way into the living room.

"Is your husband home?" Jane asked.

"He's in the garden. Should I get him?"

"Please."

When Mr and Mrs Newton were both settled on the couch, Jane and Frost sitting on armchairs across from them, Jane began to speak.

"Mr and Mrs Newton, I'm sorry to have to be the one to tell you this, but your daughter was found dead this morning."

"Oh God!" Mrs Newton instantly cried, her hands covering her face as the tears already began to flow. "Where? How?

"She was found in the park, near the Back Bay fens." Jane spoke softly.

"We're not sure of the cause of death yet, but we expect that she sustained a head injury and it's likely that she drowned."

"Is... is it a homicide?" Mr Newton asked. "Did someone kill Kerry?"

"That's what we are going to find out." Frost said kindly. "We will do everything we can. When was the last time you saw Kerry?"

"Yesterday morning." Mrs Newton took a deep breath before she continued. "When she left for school... she had a lecture in the morning, then she was going over to  
her friend Rachel's to study and practice."

"Practice?" Jane asked.

"She's studying music." Mr Newton continued. "She plays the saxophone... _played_ the saxophone." He held his wife closer, tears filling his own eyes now.

After comforting the Newtons and collecting more information, Jane and Frost were given permission to search Kerry's room.

"I'm sorry to have to ask you this, but did Kerry have a boyfriend?" Jane spoke to Mrs Newton.

"Not that we know of right now... but she and Rachel spent a lot of time with a boy called Caleb."

"Caleb?" Frost wrote down the name. "Do you know his surname?"

"No, but he studies music at Boston College too."

"Thank you. That's helpful." Jane smiled compassionately. "Have you noticed anything missing from Kerry's room?" Jane asked and Mrs Newton nodded.

"She took her backpack and her saxophone when she left yesterday."

"We found her backpack." Frost said. "But we've not seen a saxophone."

"Is there anything special about the saxophone?" Jane asked. "Any way we could identify it if we were to find it?"

"It was quite distinctive." Mr Newton took a photograph down from the mantelpiece and handed it to Jane.

In the photograph stood Kerry, dressed in a marching band outfit, proudly clutching her saxophone.

"We bought the sax for her 21st birthday. It has her name engraved on the side." Mr Newton explained.

"You can take that picture with you." Mrs Newton said quietly. "Please find out what happened to my daughter."

"I will, Mrs Newton." Jane took the photograph carefully out of the musical note patterned frame. "I promise."

* * *

"Hey Vanilla!" Rondo answered his phone with his trademark cheekiness. "What can I do for you?"

"Hey Rondo. Hope you're doing okay. We found the body of a college student this morning, and we found out that she was a saxophone player. But now her sax is missing... Can you be on the lookout for it in pawn shops?"

"Oh man, that's terrible..." Rondo was genuinely saddened at the news. "Sure thing, I'll keep an eye open for it. What's that sax like?"

"It's pretty distinctive. It's got an engraving of the girl's name, Kerry, on the side. But someone could have tried to scratch it off..."

"Ok, Vanilla. Don't you worry. Rondo's on the case."

"Thanks Rondo."

"When will I be seeing you around? You gonna come buy me a cappuccino anytime soon?"

"Find me that sax, Rondo, and I'll buy you as many cappuccinos as you like!" Jane smiled. "Let me know what you find out. See ya."

"Bye, Vanilla. Say hi to Mrs Vanilla, your 5-0 bro, and the Doc for me!"

Jane hung up the phone and stared blankly at her computer screen.

Frost came back into the bullpen carrying the laptop they had recovered from Kerry's room.

"I've been checking Kerry's laptop and I think I've found something interesting." He put the computer down on his desk and opened the lid. "I managed to get access to Kerry's email, and in the last week alone she received over 20 messages from the same address."

"Bass_boy " Korsak read aloud. "What do the messages say?"

"The emails mainly contain various pdf attachments of sheet music, but the messages also talk about Kerry attending an audition..."

"Can you find out who 'Bass boy' is?" Korsak peered down at the email address on the screen.

"I can try. But some of the messages were also sent to Kerry's friend Rachel Wilson, so I have a feeling that 'Bass boy' may be Kerry and Rachel's friend, Caleb."

Jane's eyes were unfocussed, her jaw clenching and unclenching as she half-listened to Frost and Korsak.

"Jane, are you listening?" Frost asked, glaring at her.

Jane's head snapped up to stare at her partner. "Of course I am!"

"No, you're not..."

"Ok, fine." Jane jumped up and grabbed her jacket from the back of the chair. "I'm going downstairs. Let me know what you find out. I'll be back later."

When she had left, Frost and Korsak looked at one another.

"Downstairs to see Maura, or downstairs to see Angela?" Korsak asked, retrieving his notepad from his desk drawer.

"$10 says Maura," Frost smiled. "And another 5 bucks says that they kiss and make up."

* * *

"Knock knock." Jane poked her head around the door to Maura's office.

"Jane." Now dressed in her scrubs, Maura smiled as the Detective came over to her. "I was getting ready to start the autopsy."

Jane nodded sombrely. "Frost and I just got back from our vic's parents' house. We know who she is, Maur."

"Oh, dear." Maura grew sombre too.

"Her name is Kerry Newton, 24. She was a music student at Boston College. She played the saxophone."

Jane handed Maura the folder which contained the details, and Maura put the folder down on her desk without looking at it.

"Thank you, Jane." She paused. "Shall we have that talk now?"

Jane nodded slowly, Maura was never one to forget a promise.

Maura pointed to the door behind her. "Do you want to close the door?"

Jane closed the door and returned to stand in front of Maura who was now leaning against her desk, watching Jane closely.

"I don't know where to start." Jane mumbled, nervously wringing her hands. "I want you to know that I'm sorry for everything... Can you forgive me?"

Maura nodded.

"Jane, I'm sorry too. I should have been honest with you about Ian."

"But I shouldn't have gone off on a bender instead of talking to you." Jane paused, unsure of how to continue. She was feeling more nervous than she had ever felt around Maura. "So, y- you ended things with Ian?"

Maura nodded slowly. "How did you find out?"

"Ma told me."

Maura smiled warmly at Jane, neither of them mad at the other anymore.

"I don't feel how I used to about him... I don't love him."

Jane nodded slowly, waiting for Maura to speak again, unsure if she should say something to Maura first.

But Maura was having an internal struggle of her own; She had spent so long trying to deny how she felt for Jane, but now she knew she couldn't do that anymore. By the time her conscious mind had caught up, Maura had already spoken her thoughts aloud.

"I'm in love with you, Jane."

Hearing those words drew an audible gasp from Jane's throat. Maura's feelings for her were now out in the open.

"And I have been for some time." Maura continued, and Jane took a step closer to her.

"I've been a jealous coward..." Jane took a deep breath. "But youmust know how I feel about you, Maura. How I suppose I've _always_ felt about you."

"I think I know." Maura's voice was a whisper now.

"I ended it with Sara today, Maur." Jane impulsively reached out a hand to touch Maura's cheek, but thought better of it and let her hand fall back to her side. "I don't know what else to say... I- I'm so sorry. Can we start over?"

Maura reached out and took Jane's hand.

"There's no need, Jane." She whispered and leaned in to kiss Jane, but the detective turned her head and Maura's lips touched her cheek instead.

"Wait... So much I do turns out wrong, Maura."

"That's not true, Jane."

"Yes it is, Maur... I want to make sure that I do _this_ absolutely right."

Jane gestured between them, and stared into Maura's hazel eyes, which now once again held nothing but warmth for her.

"I want to... What's that word? The old-fashioned one..."

"Woo?" Maura offered.

"That's not the word I was thinking of, but yeah, that too... I want to _woo_ you."

"You've already been doing that for years, Jane." Maura smiled widely. "Ever since I met you, actually."

Maura leaned in to kiss Jane's cheek again. Jane's face flushed.

"How about dinner tonight?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world, Maura." Jane wrapped her arms around Maura's shoulders, hugging her to her. "Does this mean that we're friends again?"

Maura held Jane tight and whispered into her ear.

"We've always been more than friends, Jane."

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading! Plenty more Rizzles on the way!**


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